Isla Sorna:My Island Survival part II
by 21gloverboy
Summary: A continuation of my previous complete story. My island adventures on Isla Sorna are about to get pretty intense when a neighboring raptor pack is on the verge of taking over. losses will arise and as an oncoming battle will soon begin, how will I survive?
1. Chapter 1

**Jurassic park**

 **Island Survival**

 **Part 2**

 **Prologue**

:

Greg Ganwick was running for his life through the deep jungles of Isla Sorna. The Ingen employee didn't know what had happened. One minute he was standing next to the jeep with the eggs he had collected with Eddie and the others. Next thing he knew he had been attacked by something dark and slender from out of the jungle to his right.

The creature, whatever it was, let out a chilling guttural screech before it had attack him. The dinosaur had bitten him on the right leg, a bubbly trail of saliva coating the wound.

Greg felt dizzy with fear as the jungle surrounded him on all sides like a closing wall. His head spun and his glasses fell off his head and landed on the ground, breaking in half.

And then he heard it. The chilling guttural screech. It was close now. He spun his head but all he could see was black outlines of the jungle. Everything was growing dark. He tripped and fell into the dirt. And then there was new pain on his leg as he felt needle-sharp teeth dig into the flesh of his ankle. He tried to fight and to get back up and run but more unseen needle-sharp teeth bit into him. He let out a yell of pain...and then he felt a set of jaws clamp onto his throat. Blood. He felt it gush from him like a hot knife in his neck. He looked up and saw only a pair of bulbous pale eyes stare down at him through the darkness of the jungle. He heard more guttural snarls and screeches around him now. He opened his mouth to scream. But but the pain in his neck made it go quite. All that came out was gurgling choking noise. And then blackness.

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	2. Chapter 11

**Chapter 1: Abondoned Base Camp**

 **:**

 **Josiah's POV-**

Mistakes. That's what can kill a human like little old me in so many ways. But by dumb like I always managed to survive those mistakes. Here on Isla Sorna, though, you can't afford to make even a small mistake. Not even when your exploring an island full of genetically engineered dinosaurs.

It had been a week since I had seen Enrique's boat leave with Rita, Hector, and Eddie back to the mainland. Now it was only me and the dinosaurs. During that third week I had plenty of things to do around the worker village to keep me busy. I explored more of the run-down buildings and houses and found more interesting things that help clear a few things up about the island. Some of these new things included the newer species of dinosaurs that I had not seen yet. Three particular dinosaurs I did not want to run into. One was the king of the lakeside. I didn't know what dinosaur that was and I didn't want to find out. The other was color changing Chameleon type dinosaur that lived in an abandoned INGEN research laboratory. So, no exploring that one. But the last one was a nasty for one me. Tholestes had said something about this dinosaur. He called it a 'Ghost-Eye'. Whatever the Ghost-Eye was, I did not want to encounter it out there in the jungle after dark.

Right now I was in my jeep, filming the herd of dinosaurs that had settled alongside a lake. The flies buzzed around my lens but I took no notice. If I was going to present this stuff to the people on the mainland, then I'd have to try and ignore the damned insects as best I could. I don't know how _National Geographic_ people did this without being pestered by bugs. Aside from the bugs, the atmosphere was warm. The sun hadn't set yet so I had plenty of light for the camera. I had documented the herd for over an hour and the scene hadn't change.

The whole scene made me think about home. I'd had only been here for two and a half weeks and already I was getting homesick. Sure this island was alright sometimes, but I missed some of the essential stuff like television, the news, a working computer, and stuff like that. I yawned and turned off the camera. That was enough footage for today and I needed to get back to the worker village. I put the camera on the passenger seat, started the jeep, and drove away from the lakeside.

Not that it was getting late, but Tholestes wanted to show me something he had found on one of his hunts near the outer rim of the island with his pack a while back. The sun was still up so I guess there was no harm in going to see what he had to show me. But I wasn't taking any chances so I took my rifle with me for added protection.

A few minutes later, after leaving the jeep at the worker village, I was walking through the jungle with Tholestes. The young raptor had been walking for a while with me bringing up the rear. Behind me were two other raptors from his pack, staying close to me but also keeping their distance. I guess they didn't want to be close to me, I mere human. Rude much?

The trek wasn't grueling or anything. My body felt semi-strong from all the physical exercises I'd been doing around the worker village. That meant I was able to keep up with Tholestes should he ever run too far ahead of me. I carried my rifle in a holster slung around my shoulder. In my vest pocket were my bullets. I'd also packed my hunting knife that I had bought in Costa Rica. I wasn't going to take any chances, that much I was sure about. We kept hearing loud thumping noises all through the forest and I was afraid it might have been a T-Rex or something. Tholestes kept us walking, stopping only to rest or drink from streams.

After another hour of walking, we arrived at the northeastern side of Isla Sorna, where Tholestes wanted us to be.

We moved out into the open and nestled in a valley, surrounded by several rocky outcroppings was some kind of camp. Around it were smashed-up vehicles and trucks. Scattered tents and large animal cages were everywhere. Boxes, crates, and equipment were lay on the ground. Some were open and some were not. Two raptors moved into the area first to check and see if it was safe. After a minute or two, the raptors made barking sounds to signal us that the coast was clear. Tholestes and I moved slowly out from the bushes, staring at the destroyed campsite. I saw to my left that there was once a living area of the camp that held supplied tents, parking space for vehicles, room for small campfires, and tattered old canopy tent cover. Everywhere I looked there were smashed and burnt equipment and jeeps. What was left of the so-called cameras were left in the grass, rusted and broken. There were TV monitors that were broken and also rusted from being exposed to the elements, charred and scraggly remnants of several pieces of now-useless electrical equipment, and a smashed and ruined satellite dish.

"What is this place, Tholestes?" I asked, looking around.

"This was a human campsite that my pack found during a hunt in the north." He said. "there's not much left of it. but the scent of other dinosaurs along with humans are still here in some places. I brought you here to show you how humans had once held dinosaurs in cages. Follow me." He me led over to another part of the camp. This area was secluded and farther back into a forested area than the living quarter portion of the encampment. This area held large animal cages from big to small. Capture trucks and Humvees were there as well. But, like the camp equipment, they were destroyed.

"You're right, Tholestes." I said, kicking aside a broken lock. "there's not much left of the place."

The young raptor came up beside me and nudged my shoulder. "You can look around if you like, but stay close in case we have to leave quickly."

I gave him a smile and said, "Why, Tholestes, I didn't know you cared."

"I do. Why? Should I not care?" He sounded confused and I could tell he didn't get the joke behind that.

"Never mind," I said. It was best not to confuse him so I busied myself at inspecting some of the containers in the campsite. To my surprise there were some tripods and camera equipment still inside of them. They looked intact since they were hidden from the elements this whole time. So I decided to take one with me. This would really help with filming. The other equipment that was in the containers were _shoulder_ mounted flashlights. There was even a backpack that appeared to be a dark blue radio box with beige straps attached to it. On top of it was a small light green antenna. There were different colored canvas shirts in some of the boxes, too. I picked up one of them and on it's sleeve was the INGEN initials. So if I had to guess, this was once the INGEN harvest team's campsite. Boy, they sure have left a lot of stuff behind. And did they ever. There were extra sleeping bags and vehicle repair tools along with several discarded rifle bullets. These I took and put in my backpack. They would come in handy later if I needed them.

The sun just about to set behind the trees and and jungle around the clearing was getting dark. It was time to head back to the village. I had all I needed until I would came back for the rest of the stuff. Tholestes called for the other pack members to follow us back to their territory.

Night had fallen in the jungle by the time I got back to the village. Tholestes and the others had re-marked the boundaries of the village with their scent so that no Black striped raptors with enter it and bother me. There was no word from Tholestes when I would be summoned back to his nesting site to see Kara again, so I remained in the village for the next two days. I always remembered to check off the dates to the day I would leave the island in my journal that I had in the attic of the church.

So far only two weeks had passed and the weeks that would follow would acquire me to film as much as the island and the dinosaurs as possible. Thanks to the tripod I got from the camp, and the other filming equipment, I was all set to document the animals in the field.

Till morning on my third week, it was time for me to get some much needed sleep.

 **Tholestes POV-**

Terias and Fern were asleep when I got back to the nest with the others. Kara greeted us and addressed that she would talk with Josiah in the morning. That made Phaganax scowl and growl with irritation. I didn't blame him. Having being told by a human that you were created by humans just for entertainment would make any raptor angry. And Phaganax was often angry. Aside from Kara, who he respected, Phaganax rarely showed any tolerance for any other members of the pack. And it was his anger that I worried about. I feared that Phaganax's actions will someday lead our pack into an out-and-out war with the Black stripes. A war that we could not win so easily.

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	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Winged Fury**

 **:**

 **Josiah's POV-**

The birds whistled in the trees and insects sung a sweet song. Morning had arrived on Isla Sorna and I was ready to start it.

I first gathered up my new camera equipment and put them in the jeep. I then drove down to the river that lined the village's border. I had found a small rubber raft in one of the storage sheds near the gas station and decided to see if it could float.

The river was only a few yards across and didn't seem to be very deep. On the other side were several jungle paths that led to nowhere but the game trials that the carnivores used.

I inflated the raft and placed it into the water with a loud splash. I wasn't too worried about some animal hearing the noise. The boundaries of the worker village had been marked by Tholestes yesterday so there was nothing to get jittery about.

I climbed into the raft, took out the oars and fitted them into the oarlocks, then pushed off onto the river. The raft drifted silently downriver so there was no need for me to paddle or use the small motor that I also had found in the storage shed. What I wanted to do today was go down to the fields and document Tholeste's pack doing a morning hunt. Plus, Kara wanted to speak with me again. Tholestes had told me that the current would carry me north toward the hunting fields if I travelled along the river. I trusted his word and decided to do just that. But I wasn't walking all the way there on foot.

 **Tholestes POV-**

"What do you mean he shouldn't take the river?" I barked at Terias. I was pacing back and forth in front of my brother when I had gotten word from one of the scouts that Josiah had left the worker village.

My pack had gathered near the fringes of the hunting grounds near a bowl-shaped valley that was right next to the river. The river that Josiah was going to arrive in.

"As I've told you," Terias explained. "The river that leads here to our hunting ground is not the safest way to travel by. The banks are very narrow. It's impossible to walk along and the trees overhead sometimes are occupied by flyers."

"What about them? Those types of flyers are fish eaters."

Terias snorted. "They are, but they are extremely territorial toward any other animal that trespasses in their river. They've claimed it as they're fishing river that they've marked out."

I remembered what my grandfather said about most flyers. When a flyer flock marked out a territory and claimed it, stay out of it.

"So if Josiah is on the river...or walking along side of it..."

"He's not," Terias said. "At least, I hope he's not. You know how humans are about these sort of things, right?"

He was right. Humans who couldn't read nature would be beaten by nature.

And Josiah hadn't been on the island long enough to know how to read any of the island's warnings.

"Still..."

"oh, don't worry, big brother." Terias said. "Odds are Josiah will arrive unhurt by the time we're done our hunt. Now come on. I'm hungry."

I sighed and rejoined the hunting party. I only hoped that Josiah was alright.

 **Josiah's POV-**

I was definitely not alright at the moment. My little raft and I were under attack by bluish-furred Pteranodons. The animals had swooped in on me from the tall trees above my raft and had at first only cawed and screeched at me to make me go away. But now they were on force today and were pecking and clawing at me with their beaks and clawed talons. Thankfully, the raft was still moving downstream.

 _Cahhhrrr!_

Looking up, I saw a larger Pteranodon swooping in toward me. It looked like a small fighter plane coming in for an attack. And it's target was me!

"Oh, it's just a bird." I said out-load to myself dismissively. "... A large bird, I grant you... A large, angry bird- AHH!"

I ducked down in the raft just as the flyer flew over my head. This one must have been the leader of the flock here because it was coming around for another attack. The other flyers were backing off and not attacking.

I picked up one of the oars and brandished it like a weapon. With my rifle, I could kill it easily. But that would be a waste of bullets. And I didn't want to kill the animal recklessly. I only wanted to keep it at bay until I got off the river. The Pteranodon screamed and snapped; I ducked my head away from the beak and struck back, as the giant wings flapped around my head. The clawed feet scratched frantically at my arms and chest. "Yaaaah!" I yelled, falling on my back in the raft as the animal's beak clasped my arm. There were no teeth inside it's beak, but the ridges felt sharp against my skin.

"Let go of me, you son of a bitch!" I yelled as the flyer flapped and clawed at my body. Using my free hand, I took the paddle, and started hitting the animal upside it's pointed head. I think the multiple blows I was giving it must had worked because the next second it let go and flapped away, screeching in fright. The other Pteranodon followed suit and were soon flying back toward the trees over the river. looking upward, I squinted to see what had happened. At first I didn't know why they had bolted like that. And at that moment I didn't care. I turned around in the raft and saw that the river was thinner than ever, in some places only nine feet wide, and the current flowed very fast. I sat back in the raft and listened to the ripple of the water through the warm rubber.

Then I heard sudden shrieks from the trees above, as the birds in them scattered in alarm, shaking the branches. And then a large crocodile-like head burst from the trees from the right, the jaws snapping at me and the raft.

 _Rhhhhhrrrr-ghrrrr!_

"SHIT!" I screamed and hurriedly paddled away to the other side of the river, but it was only eight or nine feet wide. The Spinosaurus was the last thing I expected to run into here on the island. I didn't even know that this was it's territory. The creature's dark eyes glimmered with hunger and anticipation at almost getting me. It let out another loud, relatively high-pitched bellow and withdrew it's head. Through the trees that lined the riverbank, I saw the immense dark form of the dinosaur, moving east, looking for an opening in the trees that lined the bank. I felt the thunderous footfalls of the animal even in the raft as it moved.

"Nice try, you scaly bastard," I breathed.

The trees were too thick along the banks of the river. That was good.

As I continued floating downriver, I sat back in the raft, seriously shaken. If the Spinosaurus had broken through those trees, there would have been nothing I could have done to save myself. Even my rifle would have been useless against it. Man-alive! It was just one narrow disaster after another on this island.

The footfalls of the animal were finally gone. The river widened a little bit more, but I stayed on the other side of it just in case the dinosaur tried something.

 **Tholestes POV-**

The hunt went well. My pack had brought down an iguanodon and were feasting on it. Unlike most raptors, my pack didn't snarl or snap at each other to get the best pieces of meat. Phaganax ate his fill first and so did Kara. The omegas, me and my brother, got our share. Every raptor was happy. If there was enough meat left on the carcass, then a pack member would bring some back for the chicks and younger raptors at the nest.

The morning was growing hot. The flies that buzzed around the carcass swarmed around our heads as we ate. To avoid this the pack took what meat they could carry and went to sit under the shades of the trees. We knew that scavengers like Compies would soon smell the carcass, but we didn't bother with it. The valley my pack were in was pretty much isolated.

Only we knew the game trails in and out of here. The only other way to get into the valley was across the river. But that territory belonged to the sail-back. Only a dead idiot would be foolish to cross it's domain to get to here.

 **Josiah's POV-**

I had finally made it. The river had carried me to destination. I climbed out, slipping on the muddy bank, and hauled the raft out of the water. Then I tied the rope to a tree and set off, through a path that was surrounded by thick forest of palm trees.

I had to consider the location of the hunting ground the raptors had picked to do their hunting. It was secluded, hidden from other predators by game trails, and the scent of Tholestes and his pack kept most of the smaller predators away.

The path I was taking was narrow but I was able to carry my camera equipment none the less. But I kept my rifle handy by my side. Marked or not, the jungle here on Sorna were not to be underestimated. The sun came out as I walked, making the morning more cheerful.

A few minutes later, the valley came into few. I felt relief flood me as I saw Tholestes and his pack, which were feasting on a dinosaur. The valley wasn't a lush green place. Just a flat, open field surrounded by tall trees and ankle deep grass. Even from a distance I could smell the sour-sweet odour of the dead animal. The droning of flies were coming from the carcass. I guess I missed the hunt. So much for a chance to document the raptors hunting down a dinosaur.

I spotted the pack under the shade of the trees across from the carcass. They looked full and satisfied. And Tholestes did say that once a raptor's stomach is full, they are less dangerous.

I saw Tholestes and Terias near a tree and waved to them to let them know I was here. They spotted me, got up, and Tholestes walked over to me

 **Tholestes POV-**

I walked over to Josiah and saw him place that translator thing in his ears again so that he could understand me.

"You are late, Josiah," I said with a snort. "We've already finished our hunt."

"I can see that," He said as he looked back at the carcass.

"Well, Alpha Kara is waiting to speak with you. Let's not keep her waiting."

I lead him over to were the pack was under the trees and Alpha Kara and Phaganax were resting of their meal. When Phaganax saw us approaching, he got up off his hunches, growled irritably at Josiah, and walked away to sit somewhere else under the shade. Kara got up and Josiah got down on his knees. He remembered that part of showing respect and bowing to an alpha. That was good to know.

"Welcome, human-uh, I mean Josiah," Kara greeted with gentle chirp. "I see you've remembered how to greet me. That's good. Tholestes has taught you well."

Josiah looked up at her and nodded his head. "Thank, Alpha Kara,"

Kara motioned her head for him to get up. He did.

"You wished to discuss more about your origins of Jurassic Park, am I right?" He said while taking off his pack and placing them on the ground.

Kara simply nodded. "Yes. I wish to hear more about this island you call Nublar and this Jurassic Park."

She led him over to the shadiness of the trees and both sat down, facing each other. The rest of the pack had formed a small circle around them. They also wanted to hear more about Jurassic Park. The only one who didn't join was Phaganax.

:


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: An act of war**

:

 **Josiah's POV-**

I had setup the tripod and camera to capture the conversation I was having with Kara. Some of the younger raptors around us were sniffing at the camera and tripod legs with curiosity. I didn't mind so much as long as they didn't knock it over.

While me and Kara talked Phaganax stayed where he was. He still had a look of loathing on his face as he watched us. Boy, this guy sure didn't like me.

Kara and the other pack members paid no attention to him. Tholestes sat by my side along with his brother, which was good because I liked having them with me for company.

Our conversation went on for another half hour. The pack listened intently to my story about Jurassic Park and about John Hammond, the man behind the miracle of Jurassic Park itself. Kara listened and asked question after question, which I answered as best I could. Everything else I've read in the journal I was able to tell her more adverbially. In the end the female raptor understood what my purpose of being here was and at that moment her liking towards me increased.

Phaganax didn't seem all that impressed. He snorted and hissed and occasionally growled whenever I spoke about dinosaurs in cages and such stuff like that. I ignored him. I didn't care what he thought of me. Kara seemed to like me a little and even showed some patients whenever I paused to adjust my camera or make myself more comfortable on the grassy ground that I was sitting on.

But then suddenly, the afternoon air was pierced by a series loud howling and yipping. All the raptors around me froze and stood up, their heads swivelling toward the jungle. Kara stood up, raised her head and let out a an answering barking yip. There was another loud howl followed by a bark. But it sounded like it was weak. But that weak bark was enough to get all the raptors moving. Kara and Phaganax led the way back into the jungle, the pack right behind them.

I gathered up my tripod and rifle and followed after them. Pity I didn't have the speed of a raptor because I was falling behind them fast. Tholestes stayed ahead of me so that I could keep him in my sight. His brother had gone ahead with the others. I didn't know how long we were running or how deep we had gone into the jungle. I assumed we were heading back to the nest through a faster way through the jungle.

I finally forced myself to slow down, catch my breath, and readjust my rifle and camera. Tholestes stopped and turned to me.

"What's the matter?"

"I need...to catch my breath...whew!" I breathed.

Tholestes snorted in mild amusement. "Humans! how do you live?"

"Hey," I said defensively. "my kind can't exactly run as fast like you guys."

"That is why you are not a raptor, human." Tholestes chirped teasingly.

I rolled my eyes. Raptor pity. That was a new one.

After having my breather for about minute, and readying my rifle, we set off again toward the nests.

But when we got there after a few minutes of running, both me and Tholestes were met with horrible sight.

The nesting site of the raptor's home had been attacked. Several injured young raptors were lying in the dirt, their bodies baring the wounds of an attack from other raptors. Some of them were bleeding while others were not moving at all. The air was filled with the sounds of agonized screeches and howling. Tholestes and his brother were already tending to the wounded while some of the older raptors tended to the nests. I saw that some of the eggs were missing and the mothers were whimpering in sadness. Their mates, though wounded themselves, tried their best to comfort them. Some eggs were smashed and broken. The dead fetus of the unborn chicks were proof of that. Good thing some of this years eggs had hatched.

The whole entire scene was saddening. And I couldn't bring myself to document this. I didn't care if the public didn't see this, it didn't feel right to exploit the raptors. Not like this.

But what could have done this? Was it Compies? No, not them. They wouldn't be stupid enough to raid a nest of raptors. A larger carnivore like a T-Rex? Hardly. There weren't any footprints of an attack from one. And a Tyrannosaur would have caused much more damage. No. This was caused by another pack of dinosaurs.

I decided not enter the nesting ground just yet. instead, I stayed where I was so I wouldn't be in the way.

I heard Kara make a resonating sound, unlike any thing I'd ever heard before on the island. The pack members, including Tholestes and his brother, gathered around at Phaganax's and Kara's nest, which was centred on a high mound of dirt and tall grass. I was sad to see that their nest had been hit too.

"Everyone," Phaganax announced in his deep, rough voice, "the black stripes have invaded and defiled our territory. They've raided and smashed our eggs like cowardly thieves in the night. This crime will not go unpunished."

The orange light made his mighty frame all the more terrible and impossible to resist. The raptor subordinates drew back a bit, not daring to interrupt their alpha male.

"The black stripes think that they can get away with this? They wont!" he continued. "we've marked this territory and the boundaries and game trails around it and claimed it as our own. What Darger and his pack have done today is an act of war. And he'll pay for it dearly."

There was an unsteady feeling in the air as the other older raptors in the pack growled and hissed their approval. One raptor walked timidly up to Phaganax and respectively bowed his head before saying to him, "Are you saying, Alpha Phaganax, that we should stoop to their level?"

Phaganax rounded on him and got right into his face and hissed with suppressed fury, "This is war, omega! And anything goes in war. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Alpha Phaganax," He whimpered slightly and got back in line with the others.

Kara took this time to speak to her pack. "The black stripes have smashed my eggs and have also killed any chance of me and Phaganax from having hairs. Therefore, I think it would be a good idea to strike back while we can. But the black stripes have the tall grass and the high canyons to their advantage. It would be a massacre if we blindly go after them out of rage. It's not a risk we can take."

The pack mumbled in agreement. Even Tholestes nodded his head in understanding.

Phaganax stiffened and barked, "Are you saying that our pack should just roll over onto our backs like whimpering scavengers while the black stripes eviscerate us in our sleep?"

Kara turned to him and hissed softly, "I will not condone your course of action that could lead this pack to a war, Phaganax. Blind rage in a raptor like you will only get this pack killed. We will not engage the black stripes in battle."

Phaganax growled softly and turned away from her, a look of frustration on his scared snout.

"However," She continued. "we will place more sentries around our territory and game trails. And if a black stripe should even dare to set one toe claw in them again, you all have my permission to kill it."

This got several of the older raptors to yip and bark in approval. The decision had been made.

I thought that it was a good compromise as well. I didn't want to see this pack of raptors go to war with another pack of raptors who only hunted for pleasure rather then for food. I saw that Phaganax still didn't seem to be satisfied with his mate's decision. His neck quills rattled in irritation and his tail thrashed back and forth.

For some reason, I felt like me and Phaganax had something in common. We both had our homes trespassed on by an enemy, yet my home wasn't broken into. We both felt self-righteous that another course of action should be taken. The thugs who had almost robbed my house back home had gone to prison for their attempted crime. Here on Isla Sorna, where dinosaurs had to fight for territory, it was a whole different story. Phaganax's course of action was to kill the black stripe pack for what they had done. But Kara wanted to keep the remaining members of her pack alive. There was an old saying, 'Don't cut off your nose to spite your face'. I guess I was seeing it now among Phaganax and Kara. I used to think that it was just a stupid saying. But it seemed especially true now.

Deep down, I knew that this island would be dangerous. And now it was starting to grow.

The afternoon soon started change into evening. The wounded raptors were being taken care while the dead ones...had to be disposed of. Tholestes and Terias helped with that part. Fern and her grandfather mended to the wounded. I felt like a third-wheel around here so I decided to be as helpful as I could. Kara permitted it but only because I still had some discussing to do with her.

I brought water from the small stream by the nest to the wounded pack members, who were too weak to get water themselves. I filled my canteen to the brim with fresh-cool water and brought it to the raptors who needed it. It was an easy task and I felt like I was doing some good for these guys. Even though Hammond said that we should step aside and trust in nature, I didn't care right now.

While I worked on getting water, I noticed that Kara was observing me intently. I wondered what she thought of me, a mere human among a pack of raptors?

 **Tholeste's POV-**

My grandfather and Fern had managed to tend to the injured members of the pack who'd survived, but the nests were in shambles. Mother raptors wept over their broken eggs.

I watched Josiah bring water to the injured juveniles, which was good. I liked the fact that he was here to help. Phaganax, I saw, didn't seem to pleased at having him here at our nest. His eyes would narrow with disapproval every time they made eye-contact.

Alpha Kara came up to me and I bowed my head respectively before she spoke.

"What do you think of him, Tholestes?" She asked me.

"Of Josiah, you mean?" I said, her question catching me off-guard a little. "Well, Alpha Kara, he doesn't seem to be like any of the keepers my grandfather told me about. He's not cruel or mean-spirited. He's a little green around edges about how the island works, but he's learning."

"He knows more about our origins then the all-knowing long-necks of the island's great plains." She said. "They weren't put in pens though like us. They were given their freedom alongside the other plant-eaters."

She hissed gently. I didn't blame her.

"It wasn't fair, was it, Alpha?" I said.

"No, it wasn't, Tholestes," She growled bitterly. "had it not been for the great storm that hit the island long ago, we still would've been in those pens for the rest of our lives."

"There's an old saying, Alpha Kara, freedom can't be given, only earned."

Kara replied, "We didn't earn it, Tholestes. We never did. The keepers were forced to give it to us. The plant-eaters earned it. We didn't. I wanted my future pack to one day live free in a world without restrictions by humans."

"We have that now, don't we?" I said.

Kara scratched the side of her snout with a foreclaw, thinking it over. "No, little one. Freedom is something with a price, it is dangerous and hard. The danger we've been able to handle on this island. The hardships with Derger and his pack are just ahead."

She got up and went back to her nest.

She was right. I used to think that our freedom from the keepers and their pens were a blessing to our hardships of captivity like my grandfather always said. It seems she didn't like that we were freed by a third party, rather than 'earning' it through our own ingenuity and resourcefulness.

All the things she imagined freedom to be for our pack were turned on our head.

My grandfather once had pictured the dinosaurs working together to free themselves, and escaping to a bountiful, wild paradise. Instead, we're unintentionally freed by a hurricane, and were thrown into a bleak, wild landscape where we had to struggle to survive.

:

* * *

First chapter! Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park titles, logos, merchandise, or any other materials that are related in any shape and/or form. I am only one of many of the biggest fans of Jurassic Park movies and games and love anything about dinosaur. I do not wish to make any profit(nor expect any anyway).


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Pava's visit**

 **:**

 **Josiah's POV-**

Evening had descended on the nesting ground at around 7:25. I felt tired. Too tired to walk back to the worker village. Kara gave me permission to spend the night at the nest since it was dangerous to travel by dark in the jungle. It didn't bother me. I was dead tired to object.

Tholestes led over to where his nest was and I sat down in it. It took me a while to get comfortable, which wasn't easy because of the ground being a little hard. By 8:50, the pack had settled themselves in for sleep. The night hunt had been cancelled on account of what happened here at the nest. Not that I was disappointed or anything. My camera didn't have night vision anyway.

Sleep was almost impossible for me. I had to use my backpack as a pillow and my camouflage jacket as a blanket. It was not much in the means of comfort, but it had to do.

Fern slept next to her grandfather while Tholestes and _Terias_ slept next to me.

I tried to nod-off, but it was frustrating. There were no insects, thank god! But the ground still didn't provide comfort. This was going to be a long night.

Oh, lordy, my back was killing me. Morning had come to the raptor nest and I was eager to get home back at the church and rest my head on a real bed.

By the time I was ready to leave the Tholestes was already awake and ready.

Lucky for him, the reptile.

The trip back to the village was uneventful for most of the way. The morning mist was thin on the ground and in the air as we moved through the jungle.

Tholestes traveled in front of me while I tiredly to keep up the rear.

A half hour later, we arrived on the outskirts of the village.

"Thanks for having me over at your nest, Tholestes." I said, turning to him before leaving. "And I'm sorry about what happened to your pack."

Tholestes tilted his head chirped, "Don't worry about it, Josiah. My clan is strong and resilient. I just hope that Phaganax won't do anything foolhardy to endanger the pack. Kara can't risk having our clan at war."

I nodded, understanding. "I'm sure nothing will happen, Tholestes. Meantime, keep your brother and sister and grandfather safe, my friend, and if anything should happen, you can come to the worker village and I'll be there for you."

Tholestes nodded his head in gratitude.

"One question," I added before he left. "Who is this Derger that Phaganax mentioned before?"

Tholestes eyes narrowed. "Derger is the alpha male of the black stripes. He's vicious and cruel. Not much is known of him, Josiah, and it is best that you don't ever encounter him. He has no alpha females of his own that I know of.

He leads the black stripes on hunts only to kill for pleasure then for food. Phaganax and him are hated enemies."

And with that Tholestes turned and disappeared into the jungle.

I gulped. This was turning out to be one nerve-racking of a week. Three weeks into my survival here on the island and now I had to deal with raptors that killed for fun. Just perfect.

As soon as I got back to the church, I went upstairs, put away my camera and

flopped down on my sleeping bag, feeling my tired body falling asleep. Exhausted, stomach rumbling, mind spinning over the same unanswerable questions, I fell into an uneasy sleep.

The following third week went by slowly. Tholestes visited the village occasionally to scent mark the place and to talk with me. Fern would sometimes accompany him to also visit. I would talk to her about myself and about the mainland and about my home. She would listen and nod in understanding. When she couldn't understand things like video games and cell phones, I then decided to skip the whole thing.

More than anything on the island, I liked having Tholestes and his sister for company. They were good dinosaurs. Not monsters like Alan Grant had described them to be at all. They hunted only prey for necessity, choosing the weaker herd animals to hunt and kill. I got those hunts on camera whenever I got the chance to go out of the village and document. Kara didn't seem to mind that I watched, provided that I don't interfere or get in the way. From the safety of my jeep, I always took care to make sure that the video taping was good.

After I filmed the raptor hunts, I drove down to the lakeside to film more of the herbivores. True, they weren't as exciting as raptors, but I had to document something to pass the time.

There were no news on the black stripes from Tholestes or Kara yet. So far the rouge pack of raptors stayed pretty much away from the game trails and marked territory boundaries of Kara's pack. Never the less, I always carried my rifle with me wherever I went. The village was big. There were plenty of places for carnivores to hide.

The fourth week soon arrived during a rainy downpour one day. There was not much to do but to stay indoors. But that didn't bother me. I had plenty to do inside the church to keep me busy. I worked on the kitchen and bathroom, cleaned the attic up and even went to work on fixing a small retro portable TV from Toshiba. It was old, but with the tools I had, fixing it was worth it.

I spent the rest of the day watching TV, flipping through channels that were watchable.

By the time the rain had stopped, the afternoon was beginning to turn orange over the jungle. I took that chance to go outside and checkup on my jeep. The air felt warm. The after smell of the rain and wet soil was a pleasant feeling.

It reminded me of home. I felt a slight loneliness as I started to remember my home and my mom. I hoped to god that Rita had made back to Enid on the mainland to tell her that I was alright. I didn't want her to worry.

I did tell my mom that I was going to be in Costa Rica for nine weeks, so there was no need for her to worry about me coming home safe. I just hoped that Rita and the other guys didn't mention that I was here on the island. That would be a disaster. Of course, maybe Eddie would say something to the Costa Rican authorities about me being here. I thought darkly about the possibility of the guy telling the authorities on the mainland that I was here illegally. I was sure he'd get a good laugh out of that.

But Rita, I knew, would not let that happen.

Suddenly, I heard a scrambling behind my back and something launched itself at me-

I cursed and tried to bring up my rifle to turn and shoot, but I wasn't fast enough. The creature struck my back, sending me sprawling to the wet ground, the rifle flying from my hand. I heard the hiss of the dinosaur coming again. I tried to twist and turn, but it slammed down on my back, pinning me in place.

I opened my mouth to yell, but the dinosaur on my back shifted its weight, squeezing the air from my lings.

"Nice try, human," The dinosaur on my back hissed. "but you won't be calling for help this time."

I recognized the feminine reptilian hiss almost instantly.

"Pava?" I wheezed. It was a good thing I hadn't left my translator device in the church. Always wear it in case a dinosaur dropped by. Our in my case, a raptor.

"Glad you remembered, human," Pava hissed gently in my ear. "I must say that you and your kind are a pathetic race indeed. No fangs and no claws at all."

I felt insulted rather then frightened.

"Get out of here, Pava!" I breathed, trying to turn my head to face her. She put more pressure on my back in reply. "This isn't your territory!"

Pava let out a guttural hissing from her throat. It sounded almost like a laugh. "Hey, it wasn't properly marked after the rain had stopped. Blame whatever pathetic grey scales is supposed to be protecting you."

I grunted. "Tholestes was the one who marked this place as his packs territory, Pava. You can't just come in here by yourself and claim it as your own!"

"What makes you think I'm 'alone', human?" She growled. "You should know by now that raptors travel in packs."

I heard a high yip followed by a bark. Soon it was answered by two other barks. At the edge of my vision, I could see two other raptors approaching from out of the jungle. They, like Pava, were female.

Both raptors came up to us, their sickle claws clicking on the pavement.

"I was wondering when you'd catch that human, Pava," Said the female on the left.

"I'm surprised you've haven't spilled its guts into the ground yet," Said the female on the right.

"Sandah, Dulia, you know that is not how I work." Pava chided playfully. "Besides, Darger wants him alive."

There was that name again. Darger.

"What does this Darger want with me?" I grunted.

Dulia brought her snout close to my nose and hissed. "That's Alpha Darger to you, you filthy human."

"What he wants from you," Added Sandah. "Will be entirely up to him. Hmm, I still don't understand how you can understand our language."

"Nor do I," Said Pava. "That's why Darger wants him alive."

The pressure on my back was gone. I got up slowly to my feet. There was no way I was running for it. And I couldn't get to my rifle without one of the raptors tearing me apart.

"You're smart, human," Pava said, sensing my hesitation. "You know we'll eviscerate you if you so much as try to use that weapon on us."

I felt defeated now. These raptors had me surrounded and at their mercy.

Pava nudged me in the back with her snout, pushing me toward the jungle.

Sandah and Dulia followed beside me, growling softly.

Both their growls were met by another pair of growls. One from the left. The other from the right.

We all stopped in our tracks. I was finally going to get some help.

Two raptors, from Kara's pack, came out from the thick brush and stood in front of us. They both got into an attack position, claws raised and ready.

From behind them I saw Tholestes come out from the bush.

"You three have a lot of nerve coming here," Tholestes hissed menacingly, raising his own claws. "Especially you, Pava!"

:

* * *

! Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park titles, logos, merchandise, or any other materials that are related in any shape and/or form. I am only one of many of the biggest fans of Jurassic Park movies and games and love anything about dinosaur. I do not wish to make any profit(nor expect any anyway).


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Matters of a raptor**

 **:**

 **Tholestes POV-**

Pava was the last raptor I thought I'd see in our pack's perceived territory.

And she had other pack mates with her. They, like her, were female but had darker and lighter scale colouration then her.

"I don't know what possessed you and your pack sisters to defile and invade my pack's nesting ground, Pava," I hissed menacingly while I approached her. "But now your gonna' wish you hadn't!"

Pava hissed back, "If your barking about spilling my blood, I don't see that happening, little forest rat!"

"Then let me be the one to open your eyes!" I leaped at her and the fight was on.

 **Josiah's POV-**

Tholestes and Pava attacked each other, but Pava seemed more at an advantage. They were both large, but Tholestes didn't have the quick movements necessary to take her down.

The two other subordinates that Tholestes had brought along with him didn't fair any better. Sandah and Dulia were literally kicking their tails.

I couldn't blame them. Their wounds were not fully healed from their earlier attack from the nest.

From what I learned from Tholestes and the INGEN dinosaur files, raptors were slow bleeders with special nervous systems that prevented them from dying from minor or serious wounds. But that didn't stop them from feeling pain and from slowing down.

Having enough of this, I scrambled to my rifle, picked it up, and sprang to my feet, the weapon raised. I didn't know if my rifle would be strong enough to take them down, but I had to try something.

I took aim at Pava but paused. Tholestes would get hit if I misfired. I wasn't much of a crack shot when it came to aiming and shooting.

I decided to go for her subordinates instead.

I squeezed the trigger and fired. Dulia let out an agonized shriek and fell to the ground. That was enough to make Sandah stop her attack. She got off her opponent and went over to Dulia, limping slightly from her fight.

The two injured raptors had a look of utter surprise stamped across their faces when they both turned to look at me.

Tholestes and Pava stopped their fight, too. Pava dashed over to join Sandah and Dulia, who's leg was bleeding.

"YOU FILTHY HUMAN!" Pava screeched at me, turning to pounce.

"Don't touch him!" Tholestes yelled, quickly jumping between me and her.

I raised my rifle again, pointing it Pava's head. I moved to the side a bit to avoid shooting Tholestes. I couldn't take her out without killing him by mistake.

The two other subordinates pounced on Dulia and Sandah, pinning them both to the ground. From the corner of my eye I could see that their killing claws were pressed on the female's throats.

Now we were at a standstill. Who was going to kill who?

 **Tholestes POV-**

I stood in front of Pava, keeping myself between her and Josiah.

Nil and Cain, though wounded, were keeping Pava's pack sisters subdued.

Josiah had his weapon raised, ready to use it if necessary.

"Well, it seems we're at a bit of a stalemate, huh, Pava?" I chirped at her, keeping my stance.

"Don't get too overconfident, forest rat," She hissed. "You may have won this time, but I will be back."

She turned and headed off into the jungle. Cain and Nil didn't let the other two females go however.

"What are you waiting for?" I said, turning to them both. "let them go."

"But they're black stripes," Nil said while keeping his killing claw on Sandah's neck. "We should kill them."

Cain added, "They trespassed in our territory, Tholestes. Alpha Kara gave us permission to kill any black stripe that..."

"I know!" I snarled at them, which made Josiah jump a little. "You don't think I know that already? But as beta of this group, you will do as I say."

Nil snarled, "You're an omega like us, Tholestes! The only reason why you were given that position was because your grandfather, Sandar, weaseled you in as a beta."

I growled deep in my throat and marched over to Nil. I stood up to my full height and glowered down at him. He glowered right back but I could see that he was cowering under my stance.

"My grandfather asked for the position," I told him in a deadly hiss. "Alpha Kara and Phaganax both said that it was alright. Just as long as I tow the line as a beta and do my duty as a second in command. Now do as I say and let them go."

Nil and Cain both looked at each other and then back at me. Together they both released Sandah and Dulia. The two females sprang up to their feet and, with the both of them limping slightly, dashed away back into the jungle.

When they were gone, and their scent no longer around the area, Nil rounded on me.

"I don't know what you were thinking allowing them to leave here, Tholestes, but we should have killed them when we had the chance!"

I snorted in his face and hissed defiantly, "What good would it do if we were to kill them senselessly? Besides, they weren't in our territory."

Cain shook his head in disbelief. "What are you barking about? This human village is part of our territory, isn't it?"

"It _was_ ," I barked at him. "But the rains have washed away all traces of my scent marks around the place. Therefore Pava and her pack sisters had every right to enter here. But now they're gone. Which means that we can start re-scent marking the place."

Cain and Nil still didn't seem to agree.

Turning in the opposite direction, Nil said, "We're heading back to the nest, Tholestes. You're welcome to join us if..."

"Now, hold on!" I barked at him, getting in his way to stop. "Alpha Kara gave us a duty to do. As a beta, you omegas have to do what I say."

Cain snorted and moved aside to get past me.

"I don't know who you think you are, nest brother, but you are not our beta. And we do not answer to you."

And with that, they both moved past me with disgusted snarls and disappeared into the village, leaving me and Josiah alone.

 **Josiah's POV-**

I watched as the two subordinates of Tholestes left, leaving the two of us alone in the parking lot.

"What was that all about?" I asked Tholestes.

Tholestes let out a sigh and turned to me. "Nil and Cain didn't want to stay and help. I guess they don't want to take orders from a beta like me."

I cocked an eyebrow. "You're a beta now? Since when?"

"Since some of the other betas at our nest got attacked and injured." Tholestes explained. "My grandfather spoke to Kara and Phaganax and I got permission to be a beta. Mind you, I'm still a low ranked beta until the injured members of my pack who are betas heal and get well. Then I'll be put back in omega position."

I nodded in understanding. In raptor society, the beta raptor helped the alphas with decisions as well as some other pack activities. With the presence of the alphas gone, the betas would usually take over.

"But aren't they omegas? Shouldn't they've done what you told them to do?" I said curiously.

Tholestes snorted and let out a small growl. "Yes, Josiah, they should have. But Cain and Nil disobeyed my command and insulted my rank as a beta. They think my grandfather weaseled me into the rank, but that is not true. He asked and I got permission."

"Oh Tholestes, isn't it obvious?" I said almost chuckling. "They're jealous!"

"Jealous?" Tholestes said disbelievingly with a bark. "Jealous of what?"

"Look," I said with patience, "Your grandfather is a high-ranking beta male raptor of your nest, you know he is. As the high-ranking beta of your pack, and you being his grandson and all, your next in line of beta. The other omega subordinates feel like they've been cheated out of that position. They think that you are getting special attention, and your position as beta will grant you privileges."

Tholestes shook his head, still not understanding.

"Let me explain," I said with a sigh. "You are a beta-a second in command to the alphas, right?"

Tholestes nodded his head.

"And Nil and Cain are omegas, right?"

Again Tholestes nodded.

"So, that means that they think you'll bully them. You'll abuse your position as a beta and make them submit to you."

"But they are lower in rank then I am," Tholestes said. "They are suppose to submit to me. And I'd never bully them. They are my pack mates."

I sighed again. "I know, Tholestes, but the way you told them to do something they didn't want to do made you look like a..."

I couldn't finish the words. Not without making Tholestes mad at me.

"Like a what?" Asked Tholestes, tilting his head.

"Like an alpha," I said. "An alpha they didn't want."

 **Tholestes POV-**

After I was done re-scent marking the boundaries of the worker village, I traveled back to the nest. I tried get my head around about what Josiah had told me about my position as a beta.

Was it true that Nil and Cain were jealous of me? It wasn't possible. The three of us had been pack mates ever since we were young raptors. But we were omegas back then. Now I was a beta and they were still lowly omegas. They were still at the bottom of the pack, along with my brother.

My brother and sister. What do they think of me now that I was a beta?

When I got back to my nest, and settled myself down to rest, Terias came up to me but didn't join me.

"So," he said, when I was about curl up to sleep. "Congratulations."

"What do you mean, congratulations?" I said, staring at Terias. There was definitely something wrong with the way my little brother was frowning at me.

"For being a beta," He said. "Nil and Cain already told me what happened today. And as a beta of our pack, you get to boss any lower ranking pack members around. Does that include me, as well?"

I stood up from our nest and narrowed my eyes at my brother. He shrunk back a little but not that much.

"You'd think I do that?" I said. "You'd think I would treat my own little brother that way? You're wrong."

"Yeah?" said Terias, and he growled. "Is that all I am to you? Your little brother? Or just an omega?"

Anger sliced through me. "I didn't ask to be a beta, alright? Grandfather asked for me for the position. I'm sorry you feel that way, little brother, but that is how this pack works."

Terias backed away from me and hissed, "Then maybe I don't want to be in a pack that has you as a beta."

Those words cut through me like a sickle claw in my chest.

Terias turned and walked away from me, his tail held high. When he got into his nest with Fern and grandfather, he turned his back to me.

"First Nil and Cain, now you," I barked angrily at him. "I didn't ask to be a beta!"

But my brother didn't respond. Instead, he gave me an icy look and turned away.

:


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Alone and herd-less**

 **:**

 **Tholestes POV-**

If I had thought that matters would improve once Nil and Cain and my brother got used to the idea of me being a beta, the following days showed me how mistaken I was. I could no longer avoid the other omegas - and it was clear that my brother, just like Nil and Cain, thought I had weaseled myself in for the position as beta. Unlike my sister and grandfather, they did not seem impressed.

Terias was refusing to talk to me. When we ate a carcass after a hunt, he, like the other omegas ate last. But when he tried to sneak a bite when the other betas weren't watching, I was forced to snarl and snap at him to get back in line. That was a bad move. Terias would've have been on my side again if I had let him get some meat for himself. But since I had snapped at him to get back in line with the other omegas, he was now convinced that I was enjoying my new position.

I thought I could have coped with the rest of the omega's behavior if I could just have had my brother back as a nest mate, but I wasn't going to try and persuade Terias to be on my side if he didn't want to. Even so, it was very lonesome with dislike pouring in on me like rain.

"You shouldn't let it get to you," Josiah said to me one afternoon at the village. "You know as well as I that Nil and Cain are just jealous of you. And your little brother is no different. Just ignore them and do your duty as a beta raptor of your pack."

I raised a brow. "Ignore them? How am I suppose to do that? It's hard to avoid them when we live in the same pack together."

"Just don't pay attention to them when they bother you," Said Josiah. "it's how I got by in high school."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked.

Josiah let out a sigh and turned to me. "Let's just say that my time in high school was not a pleasant one."

"Oh," I said.

 **Josiah's POV-**

I hadn't thought about my high-school days for a long time. I always tried to ignore it.

Sure I did well in some of my classes and worked in the school's repair shops to improve my working skills, but socially I didn't do so well. I enjoyed being alone. I always thought that having friends were a waste of time and that working in a group would only drag me down and keep me from my goals.

I always ate lunch alone at the cafeteria. Everyone had their places to sit and so did I. Even when there were some people around me talking and laughing, I tried my best to just ignore them and their petty pathetic problems.

Giggling and gossiping girls were annoying the most. All they ever talked about were their boyfriends, their nails, what kind of clothes they like to wear, and all that other stupid bullshit that nobody gave a rat's ass about.

Then there were the obnoxious bullying girls. They were the worst.

I wasn't a victim to them but some of the girls in school were. Rita being one of them. The girl's problems never really bothered me much because she never mentioned it to me. That's how tough she was. And that's what I liked about her.

High-school had it's ups and downs and I got through it fast. And I never looked back.

But now I was on Isla Sorna with dinosaurs.

I did considered Tholestes as a sort of friend, be it a scaly and carnivorous one, but he was a dinosaur that I respected.

Be that as it may, I liked him. He was the kind of guy that I could talk to here on the island that was good company. Fern was alright, but she spent most of her time at the nest rather then with her brother. Terias didn't visit that often either. And I knew why. As long as Tholestes was at the village, he wasn't going to come in to say hello.

This was ridiculous. Jealousy is one emotion that was reserved for humans only. The raptors behavior in this certain situation could seem like jealousy to any who don't know better, but it was not.

Terias just felt that his big brother was being favored and he was not.

I didn't want to think on this anymore so I went back into the church for an afternoon nap.

My nap, a fourteen minute one, was rudely interrupted by a banging sound coming from downstairs on the first floor.

Who or whatever it was knocking on the door was doing it pretty loudly. Getting my rifle and loading it, I went downstairs to the front doors. Removing the barricade and slowly opening one of the doors, with my rifle ready, I looked to see who it was.

Standing on the threshold, bleeding and dirty, was Zephyr the young Parasaurolophus that I had met a few weeks ago.

"Zephyr, is that you?" I said, taking a step back because the little guy was bleeding. "How...how did you find me? What are you doing here? What the hell happened to you."

Zephyr tried to speak but he coughed and speckles of blood dripped from his billed mouth. The little guys body looked like it was covered in dirt, mud and dried blood. There were deep cuts and several places on his back and tail were bleeding slightly.

I put down my rifle and helped Zephyr into the church. He swayed on the spot for a moment, his body shaking ... then he opened his billed mouth and vomited all over the wooden flooring.

I ignored it and got him inside while avoiding stepping in the pool of dino sick.

I led him over to the kitchen and got some cold water for him to drink. He drank gratefully and I went to work on cleaning his wounds. I hoped that the blood didn't attract any predators here. That was the last thing I needed.

"Zephyr, what happened?" I asked again, leaning down to so that he had to look at me. "what happened to your herd?"

Zephyr brushed his billed face with a forepaw and said, snuffling,"They're dead,"

At first I couldn't believe what the dinosaur had just said. Dead?

"Are you sure?" I said, wiping a wound with a cloth.

He nodded. "Yes,"

I felt a mild seeping weakness overtake me. I sat down on a chair and ran my free hand through my hair. A whole herd of Parasaurs had been killed? How could have that have happened?

Looking back at Zephyr, I said, "How did it happen?"

Zephyr took a small breath. "It was the black stripe pack. They came out of nowhere and attacked my herd, my mother..." He let out a soft mournful cry and buried his face in his front paws.

I put a hand on his back and rubbed him gently, to let him know I was here.

Snuffling, Zephyr continued. "They came at us from the jungle and took all of us completely by surprise. Zaba tried to lead us to safety, but the black stripes wouldn't be denied their prey. The herd scattered in all directions. Zaba tried to lead us to safety, but some of the herd wouldn't corporate - too afraid and too stupid to save their own worthless hides. The black stripes picked us off one by one near the edge of a deep cliff near the edge of the plains. They all fell in. Except for me and my mother and Zaba. They both tried fight off the black stripes, but there were too many of them. My mother told me to run, but I was frozen with fear."

He paused to take a breath and another drink of water. When he was done he continued.

"My mother had to nudge me hard to get me to flee. How could I? The black stripes had us surrounded. But somehow, I don't know how, I was able to make a run for it. As I ran, I heard my mother cry out to me, _"Faster! Faster,_ _ _Zephyr__ _!_ _ _Don't look__ _back! Keep_ _ _running, my baby__ _! Keep_ _ _running__ _!"_ I ran hard, and still the black stripes came after me. I knew that I couldn't outrun them for long and that they would soon be upon me. I didn't know where I was going, but I didn't care. I had to get away."

I asked quietly, "How did you get away from them?"

"It wasn't easy," Zephyr said, snuffling again. "They came at me from different sides, slashing and biting. I thought I was going to die right then and there, but I didn't. I somehow gave them the slip when I ran into another herd of dinosaurs."

I blinked. "Another herd?"

Zephyr nodded. "I was lucky that the great saurian was on my side. The black stripes become confused by the three-horn herd and gave up when they knew they couldn't catch me."

"Then what happened?" I said.

Zephyr though for a moment. "Well, I was lost. I didn't know which territory I was in and any predator could find me. I wanted to go back and look for my mother and Zaba, but I didn't know where to go. I was alone."

I got up and got more water for him. "You must have been scared, little guy. I'm surprised you found this place all by yourself."

"It was easy," Zephyr said, cleaning a wound on his forepaw. "I caught your scent in the wind and I followed it. It led to this place. But your scent wasn't the only one here; I smelled the scent of a sickle claw."

I almost dropped the bowl of water when he had said that. I had forgotten that Tholestes had freshly marked the boundaries of the village this morning.

"Yeah, about that," I said, placing the bowl on the floor. "I didn't mention this to you before, but I kind of got a sickle claw here that marks the village's boundaries. His name is Tholestes."

Zephyr took a step back from me, a look pure nervousness on his face.

"A sickle claw? Here?"

"It's alright, Zephyr, calm down," I assured him. "He's a friend of mine and I trust him. And I promise that he won't try and eat you, alright?"

Zephyr didn't seem convinced. "You're going to regret trusting a sickle claw," he warned me. "He'll betray you. His whole pack will."

"He won't," I said. "Tholestes is a good dinosaur. He and his pack haven't harmed me yet. And I'm sure I can convince him not to try and eat you, alright?"

Zephyr thought it over. "Well, alright. But if he even looks at me funny, or bears his fangs at me, I'm leaving."

I nodded in agreement and went back to work on mending Zephyr's wounds.

I hope I was right. Tholestes and his pack were raptors. Hunting came naturally to them.

I just hope that Zephyr's wounds heal fast so that Tholestes wouldn't try to eat him.

:


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: News from the mainland**

:

 **Josiah's POV-**

Two days passed as Zephyr got better and better. I wasn't accustomed at having a dinosaur in the church with me for a long period of time, but I knew that the little guy still needed my help.

Though he was young for a Parasaur, Zephyr's appetite was something to behold. He ate his way through the long shrubs and tangled grass around my church with such gusto, that it was impossible for me to believe that dinosaurs like him didn't explode from eating so much.

Well at least he kept the areas around my home trimmed down.

When Tholestes had found out that I had keeping Zephyr with me, it was just like how I had expected.

Tholestes had questioned me why I had a plant-eater staying with me, while Zephyr had stayed inside the church, the doors barricaded.

I, with my translator device in my ears, argued back that Zephyr had lost his mother and I was going to help him find her. Tholestes told me that plant-eaters like Zephyr were prey for carnivores like him and that should not keep him in the village with me.

But I firmly told him that Zephyr was staying with me and that was that.

The raptor frowned at me but didn't argue anymore that afternoon. We went about his business of scent marking the area and returned to his packs territory.

:

Bye 4:45 in the afternoon in the village, I traveled over to the communications building to use the radio to call Enrique Pantaros on the mainland.

When I had gotten a signal on the radio, and had made sure that both our lines were clear, I spoke to him.

"I think I have just about four more weeks on the island to go," I said on the receiver "But I think for the time being we should make regular calls just in case we need it."

"I hear you, señor," Enrique said from the other line. "But we need to be careful on how we contact each other. The Costa Rican coastal guard have been questioning some of the local fishermen about illegal boat tours. So fare no one told them anything about my establishment."

"That's a relief," I said. "Anyhow, how are my friends doing? Did you make it back alright?"

"Si," Enrique said. "They made it back. But there is something wrong."

I said, "What it is it?"

"They kept saying that Greg never made it back to the mainland when they got back to the hotel. Neither did his contact at the boat. Señorita Rita told me that Ganwick and the contact may still be on the island with you."

I frowned and scratched the stubble on my chin. They never made it back to mainland? What did this mean?

I brought the receiver to my mouth again. "Are you sure?"

"Of course, señor," Enrique said. "Their boat didn't come back to the mainland when we did, and the coast guards have been wondering where the boat could be. I don't want to worry you, señor, but I think Greg and his contact could still be on the island."

"They could be dead," I said earnestly. "I..I took the keys from the jeep that they drove around in when I met him and...I think he stayed with the jeep. I guess he didn't want to leave behind the eggs he and the others collected."

Enrique sputtered, "Eggs? You mean actual dinosaur eggs?"

"Yeah," I said. "Greg tried to sneak some of them off island to sell to his company that he worked for. But I put a stop to him when I took the keys to his jeep."

"But still," Enrique said, not seeming to have listened. "if this Greg had gotten his hands on some real live dinosaur eggs and had gotten them off the island, he could have become rich."

I shook and stared at the receiver. Was this guy serious?

"Enrique, those eggs belong on this island. They're not ours to take."

There was a long silence. I think my voice was a little too strong.

"Look," I continued, a bit more calmly. "I'm not on this island to steal dinosaur eggs or get rich by selling anything, Enrique. I'm only here to survive for nine weeks and document the animals. Stealing eggs and selling them for profit is not on my agenda."

"I know," Enrique sighed into the receiver. "I'm sorry that I mentioned it."

I felt a little guilty about snapping at the man.

"But I still fail to see why it would be such a bad idea to sell dinosaur eggs," Enrique continued. "surely..."

"Enrique!" I snapped again. "Taking dinosaur eggs off this island is the worst idea in the history of bad ideas, and I will not follow in the footsteps of those INGEN hunters who came here before me."

There was another inconvenient pause. I didn't want this conversation to go any farther.

After a minute Enrique said, "I understand, señor. I won't lie and say that it would be profitable to smuggle eggs off the island, but you are right. It would be a bad idea."

"Anyway," I said, deciding that the discussion should not come up again. "I only have a few more weeks to go before my leave. I've got a few extra bullets for my rifle, so I won't need anymore for a while til' I run out.

The animals here, Enrique, are flourishing. It's amazing. The dinosaurs have gotten on well over the last few years."

Enrique let out a small cough. "The dinosaur haven't gotten you yet, señor Clover?"

"No, of course not." I said nonchalantly. "I'm being careful and the dinosaurs haven't bothered me."

In truth I was a little shaken up. My near-death experience with the carnivorous dinosaurs had left me uneasy for the past few weeks. I couldn't go outside the church without looking to see if any danger was near. I always carried my rifle with me, keeping it armed at all times. The Spinosaur attack on the river had especially gotten me shaken.

"Well that's good to know," Enrique said relieved. "Well, I better be going. See you soon, señor Clover."

"You to, Enrique," I said. "And make sure my friends don't worry about me."

"Sure thing, Mr. Clover,"

I took off the headset and turned off the radio. I let out a tired sigh, got up and walked out of the communications building.

My talk with Enrique had given me a lot to think about as I walked back to the Church.

So, Greg and his contact are still on the island. If they were, they were dead.

Greg had chosen to stay with the eggs that he'd stolen and was now paying the price for his greed.

The contact was no better. Both had a hand in this. The both of them would parish on the island along with their greed.

Then there was Enrique. The guy had acted like Eddie for a moment during our talk. All he could think about was how much profit would be gained from selling dinosaur eggs to the highest bidder on the mainland.

I wasn't trying to sell anything here. All I was doing was surviving and documenting the dinosaurs. With the footage almost done and the weeks almost up, I would be able to show the world that the dinosaurs here were prospering and that the general public didn't have fear them as theme park monsters.

I only had five and a half weeks left on the island. The following week I had to use sparingly on the stock footage. I didn't know how much of the dinosaurs I had to document with what little tap I had, but I was sure it was enough.

:

I was now on my fifth week on the island. Once I was comfortable on the hood of my jeep, I pulled out a pen and my personal journal I'd been using for a logbook.

'The dinosaurs can accurately measure time by using the dry and rainy seasons, measuring one year over the course of two seasons. By asking the ages of raptors, I've discovered that the larger dinosaurs all live up to three or four times longer than their expected lifespans in other parts of the island. The larger animals also live beyond their predicted ages but to lesser degrees. The raptors in Tholestes' pack for instance tend to live up to fifteen or sixteen years – which is half a decade longer than average then I'd read in the dinosaur logbooks. I think it might have something to do with the land – maybe a medicinal plant the herbivores eat, which would then pass to the predators once they've eaten the herbivores. Or maybe it's the lysine supply…'

This did make sense. The animals, to my surprise, continued to thrive on Isla Sorna in spite of the lysine fail-safe due to the herbivore's abilities to consume soy and other lysine rich foods. The continued survival of the island's carnivore population was also because of their consumption of the herbivores which had fed on those lysine rich foods.

"Why do you always scratch up that leafy stuff?" Fern asked.

I jerked slightly, surprised by the little raptor's sudden arrival. I relaxed when I saw who it was.

"I'm writing a journal," I explained.

Fern took a seat beside me on the hood and glanced at the scribbles on the page. "I don't understand."

I shrugged. "It's a human thing."

As I continued to write, Fern placed her head on my lap. I paused to look down at her and smile. Of all the raptors I've come to know on the island, Fern was my favorite. She was curious, bright, fearless, and stubborn. But also understandable.

She knew her brother was having a hard time right now because of his position as a beta. Terias, at this point, was still giving his older brother an arduous period.

Tholestes had told me that the situation with his younger brother had not improved. Nil and Cain were still disrespecting him at the nest. Kara had intervened but that did little to calm the tension of the three raptors.

And that tension had expired when I went with Fern one day to visit the raptor nest.

When we had gotten there, Tholestes was in a fresh heated argument with Nil and Cain again.

"You have no right disrespecting me as a beta like that!" Tholestes barked. "Alpha Kara still wants me to have the position. So why should you care anyway?"

Nil snarled, "The other wounded betas' are well again to resume their posts, Tholestes. Which means you have to stand down as a beta and become an omega again."

"That's not for you to decide, Nil!" Fern said, walking down the slope to stand next to her brother. She looked over at Terias for support but the young raptor refused to come over.

"Stay out of this, Fern!" Snapped Cain. "This does not concern you or that human!"

I felt the heat rise in my face and neck as the raptor pointed his snout at me.

"You leave my big brother alone, you bog-brain of a crass-head!" Hissed Fern in warning. "Or I'll send you back to your mother with a big bite on your rump!"

Nil and Cain took a step back from her. Her sudden brazen act caught even me off-guard.

"Fern!" Terias exclaimed. He had now gone over to his sister side. I bet he had never heard Fern to say that before. Especially to two older omega raptors.

"You tell him, Fern," I urged. "Show that..."

Nil turned on me, furious. "You stay out of this, you filthy human!"

"I'm not filthy; I just got detailed at the car-wash yesterday." I shook my fist at him.

Nil and Cain had no idea what I just said. They both got the gist, however when they saw my fist shake at them.

Both raptor took a threatening stance and came toward me, claws outstretched and ready to rip me to shreds.

"Don't touch him!" Tholestes warned, rushing over to stand in front of me, hissing. "If either of you touch this human, alpha Kara will spill your guts upon the nesting ground's soil."

Both Nil and Cain didn't back off. I could see quite clearly they were not going to take anymore crap from Tholestes.

"I'm warning you," Tholestes growled deeply, raising his claws.

"Thanks for the warning!" Screeched Cain.

Both raptors attacked.

I brought out my hunting knife and brandished it at Nil, who took a swipe at me with his claws. I jumped back and slashed at the raptor's face. Nil hissed and retreated backward as blood gushed from his snout. As the raptor came around for another attack, Fern sprang in front of me. Nil, taken by surprise, took a step back. Fern hissed, raised her claws, and leaped at him. Both of the raptors rolled down the hillside, biting and slashing at each other.

I took that chance to turn to Tholestes. Him and Cain were still locked in combat, blood and saliva flying from their jaws .

I turned to Terias, hoping he would jump in to help. But the young raptor was just standing there, a look of uncertainty and hesitation on his face.

That cowardly little bastard! His brother and sister were fighting two omegas and he wasn't doing anything to help them.

Deciding to do the stupid, I brandished my knife again and charged into the fray.

:


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Crime and Punishment**

:

 **Josiah's POV-**

I must have been an idiot to think that I could take on a raptor!

Well, now I was.

Nil and had Fern pinned under his foot. I rammed into his side to push him off of her. That got his attention. The omega raptor turned on me. I brandished my knife again and readied myself. I could feel adrenaline pumping through me as sweat dripped off my eyebrow.

Nil drew closer, hissing menacingly. I swung but missed. Nil rammed me in the chest and knocked me backward. I toppled, almost dropping my knife.

My back hit the base of a tree and I shook myself off, trying not to get woozy.

"Ugh! Damn!" I grumbled, my head spinning

Nil took that chance to creep closer, his posture in a pouncing position.

But, instead of pouncing, he charged at me. I sidestepped him just as he was about to take a bite out of me. His jaws closed on empty air as I backed away.

Hissing, Nil came at me again.

I balled my other hand into a fist and punched him in the side of the snout. My blow hit him hard but I shouldn't have done that. OW! Shit, that hurt! I had forgotten that dinosaur scales were much harder then human skin.

But it did the trick. Nil wobbled backward, shaking his head from the punch.

I shook my hand quickly to regain some of the feeling in my fingers. I just hoped to god that nothing was broken.

Nil screeched at me, furious.

I decided that I was done pussyfooting around this raptor as well.

I attacked him. Nil was caught off guard by that. That was good. But I soon realized that was a mistake. The raptor dodged my oncoming tackle attack and swung his tail at me. It struck my shoulder and I fell to the ground on my stomach. My knife was still in my hand, thank god. I quickly sprang back to my feet and faced Nil.

The raptor let out a guttural hiss and lounged forward. I swung my knife but he backed off, snarling.

We both started to circle each other, eyes locked.

My fear of being killed by the dinosaurs here on Isla Sorna had turned into a full-out fight for survival. The adrenaline in my blood had given me an extra boost in agility and quick thinking. I hoped it would be enough.

Suddenly, Nil sprang at me. He hissed and growled so suddenly that I didn't have time bring up my knife.

The raptor balled the both of us over. One of his claws blooded me across the shoulder, and I felt my shirt tear. I yelled as the sharp claws slashed the skin of my shoulder blade. I could feel the warmth of blood flow over the insides of my shirt. We both landed hard on the ground, dizzy.

I got back up slowly, knowing that if I got up first I could protect myself from Nil's attack. No sooner had I gotten up, Nil charged me.

The raptor had his claws outstretched, ready to tear into me.

"Come on!" I hollered, jumping to the side and away from the raptor. He closed his jaws on empty air, and I took that chance to raise my knife.

In that slit second, everything slowed down.

It was in those slow precious seconds that I suddenly realized that I had a choice.

I could stab Nil with my knife right in neck and kill him. End him.

Tholestes had taught me that when prey was slashed across the throat, killing them afterword was easy.

I was sorely tempted to do just that, but didn't. Instead I brought my knife down upon Nil's left eye. The knife sunk into the socket with a sickening sound. The screams of the injured raptor filled my ears as well as in the clearing. Warm blood gushed from the eye socket and washed over my hands.

I jumped back to avoid a kick from Nil's sickle claw which lashed out. It missed me by inches but I had felt a breeze from it.

Nil staggered, blood flowing over his snout and eye. The raptor let out another pitiful screech and dashed away into the jungle.

Breathing hard, I turned to see how Tholestes was doing against Cain.

The young raptor had succeeded in pinning down the omega, but had sustained some injuries in the process.

There was a gash on his flank and back, and another set of slash marks along his snout and tail.

Cain didn't fair any better. The raptor's snout had been bitten. Blood dripped down from the bite marks. A ragged wound was on the omega's flank, red and bleeding. Both raptors were breathing hard.

But what was important was that Tholestes had Cain's neck pinned under his deadly sickle claw.

Fern was alright. She was a bit dirty from her fight with Nil earlier, but aside from the cut on he shoulder, she was okay.

 **Tholestes' POV-**

I couldn't believe I had done this. I had gotten into my first major fight.

Truthfully, I'd never really gotten into any fights with any other members of my pack. When I was a young one, I would often play-fight with the other older juveniles just for fun. But my grandfather had always told me that play-fighting was meant for teaching me how to really fight.

I breathed out a hiss, leaned down to Cain's ear hole, and said in a deadly whisper, "You know the penalty for attacking a beta, don't you?"

"Death," Cain hissed, avoiding my eye. I could smell the fear coming from him. He truly was afraid. And of me. Unbelievable.

"Or banishment," I said icily. "But that is not for me to decide, Cain. That is for alpha Kara and Phaganax. They'll decide your fate."

I raised my head to the sky and let out two loud caws. I was soon answered by Kara and Phaganax's caws. When I was done, I still kept my sickle claw on Cain's neck. He was not going slither out of here that easy.

A minute later, Kara and Phaganax arrived at the nest. Both had a Compy in their jaws.

"Why have we been called?" Kara enquired, holding her kill in her talons.

Phaganax turned Josiah and hissed threateningly. "Did he do something?"

"No, alpha Phaganax," I said. "Nil and Cain were ones."

Kara turned to me. "What did they do?"

I told them everything. How Cain and Nil had disrespected my position as a beta once again and how my sister and Josiah had intervened to help me.

I told them how Nil had tried to attack Josiah and how my sister had attacked him when he had gotten too close.

Kara rounded on Cain, a look a pure anger on her face.

Leaning down to him, she growled, "You and the other pack members were told not to lay a claw on that human. You and your witless brother have violated that rule. And on top of that your brother has laid his claws upon a young one, drawing blood. By all means I should have the both of you killed right here and now."

Cain looked as if he was on his deathbed. His eyes were wide with terror as he tried to struggle out from under my foot.

"Please, alpha Kara!" Cain pleaded, struggling. "I..didn't..we...didn't..."

"Silence!" Kara screeched. "For what you have done, you and your brother should be put to death. But since he is not here to share the punishment, you shall tell him of it." Then her voice calmed. "You and your brother will not be killed, Cain. Instead, the both of you will be ostracized from this pack forever."

This astounded me. Banishment was rare in our pack. When a pack member goes against an alpha pair's commands, that pack member is either ended or cast out.

Cain looked stricken. I didn't blame him. Banishment from the pack also meant death.

Phaganax took this moment to approach him as well. "You and your brother are to leave this territory and never return. No longer are the two of you part of our pack. You and Nil are dead to this pack forever, Cain. Tholestes, let him up."

I did as I was told and Cain got to his feet, shaking himself off. Kara and Phaganax both leered down at him.

"Tell your brother what we have told you, Cain," Phaganax growled, touching Cain's snout with his. "And if either of you set foot in this territory, you will be killed as trespassers. Is that understood?"

Cain nodded, turned, and dashed away into the jungle in the direction his brother had gone.

Kara turned to the rest of the pack members. "Hear me, my pack. From this day forward, Nil and Cain the omegas are no longer apart of this pack. And should they ever try to return or set one foot in our nesting ground, they are to be killed. For they have both broken the law of the pack. They have challenged a beta and have even gone as fare as to draw the blood of an innocent young one. You all know the punishment for such a crime."

The raptors around Kara and Phaganax nodded and cawed in understanding.

"Your alphas have spoken. You may now depart." Finished Phaganax.

When the pack dispersed and went about their business around their individual nests, Kara turned to me and Fern.

"You best go down to the stream and clean your wounds, you two. You are bleeding."

"It's alright, alpha Kara," Said Fern nonchalantly. "They're just scratches. Nothing my grandfather can clean with a good lick."

"None the less, little one," Said Kara with authority. "You are to go down to the river and clean your wounds."

"Oh, very well," Grumbled Fern. She never did like getting baths in the stream before.

Then I suddenly remembered Josiah.

"Alpha Kara, Josiah was wounded by Nil," I said, turning to the human.

Kara nodded and went over to Josiah to examine his wounded shoulder.

 **Josiah's POV-**

"Does it hurt much?" Kara asked me, nudging my shoulder a little with the tip of her snout.

I winced a little and placed a hand on the wound to stop it from stinging.

"Not a lot, Kara," I said grinning a little. "It only stings when I move it a certain way."

Kara nodded her head. She then nudged my hand and sniffed. My hand and the knife still had blood on them. In the heat of the moment I had forgotten about that.

"I smell Nil's blood on that fang weapon of yours," Said Kara placidly. "Did you use that against him?"

I nodded. "I did, Kara, but I didn't want to kill him. I just wanted to wound him to keep him away from me."

Kara made an amused chirping sound in her throat.

"I wouldn't worry about it, human," She said. "Nil and Cain got what was coming to them for a long time now. They have abused their position as omegas and have payed the price. I'm just surprised that a mere human like you was able to wound one of them with such a small weapon."

Phaganax snorted as he came up beside Kara. "It's nothing to be proud of, Kara. Humans have always had an advantage over us with such weapons before."

Kara turned to him. "That may be, Phaganax, but he was able to fend off one of our former pack members with it. He came to the aide of one of the beta's chicks and protected her. Had it not been for him, Phaganax, Fern would be dead now."

Phaganax stiffened. "He shouldn't have interfered, Kara. It was not his concern." He turned away and went back to his and Kara's nest.

Kara sighed. "Pay him no mind," She said. "Phaganax will come around someday."

I snorted. "Yeah?" I grumbled. "And what if he doesn't, Kara? I don't want to one day find myself on my back with that raptor's killing claw on my throat."

Kara growled softly. "You don't need to worry about that, Josiah. Just worry about getting that wound of yours cleaned. I'll have Tholestes take you back to the village. And I'll have a talk with Phaganax as well."

I looked down, my shoulders drooping. But winced again when I felt pain shoot through me.

A minute later, Tholestes and I were on our way back to the worker village. I had sheathed my knife and had washed my hands in a stream to get ride of the blood. My wound I would fix at the church.

"Thank you for saving my sister," Tholestes said.

I shrugged and smiled. "It was no problem, Tholestes. I couldn't just stand there and do nothing, right?"

Tholestes nodded as he leaped over a fallen tree. I had to scramble over it with some difficulty because of my shoulder.

Then I remembered something. "What about your brother?"

"Terias?" Tholestes said. "He took off away from the fight when it started."

"I know," I growled. "I saw him just standing there with the other pack members, doing nothing help you or Fern."

Tholestes hissed bitterly. "He was properly hoping I'd get wounded or seriously hurt."

I rolled my eyes and muttered. "Yeah, well, its over now, Tholestes. Lets not dwell on it anymore."

We made it back to the village by late noon. The sun was just beginning to set in the sky. It may have not have been dark yet, but I needed to rest. After I got my wounded shoulder fixed, I would take a good long rest.

As I got inside the church, I turned and waved goodbye to Tholestes. But he had already gone. Oh, well.

I just hoped that the rest of the fifth week here on the island would turn out much better then today.

:


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Jump, Kick! Tail Smash!**

 **:**

 **Josiah's POV-**

Training and exercise. Those are two of the key ingredients needed to making a body that can fight and survive here on the island.

And that was what I was doing right now.

It was a fresh new day on my fifth week on Sorna and I wanted to take advantage of it. And Zephyr was joining me.

Early morning brought fresh clean air, but I didn't sleep in. After my fight with Nil the other day, I had a lot to think about while I was fixing my wounded shoulder.

I was weak. Not mentally. But physically.

My fight with Nil proved that. I was almost killed by a raptor. The most fearsome dinosaur on the island. Even though it was just one, I could have died.

The only reason I was able to survive Nil's attacks was because my adrenaline had boosted my senses and reflexes. In reality I could have gotten killed.

I was at that moment doing basic crunches and stretches. Zephyr tried them out himself, but decided not to after he tried to do a push-up. It was what I was doing at that moment in the church.

The basics before the training. I needed to trim my waist and stomach to the point where some of the INGEN clothes would fit me.

I was by no means fat. I was just a little heavy around the middle and sides. Having a bit of a muffin top in High School meant you were targeted by students who thought themselves beautiful and regular sized just because they wore their clothes tight around their asses.

In High School during those cold days, I would always wear my black hoodie and baggy pants. Here? Not so much.

My camouflage pants and jacket were too thick and hot to make good exercise clothes, so I put on my shorts and spare t-shirt instead.

The mornings were okay because it was cool and the bugs never bothered me. But when the sun got high in the sky, it got hot fast. But that was alight by me.

Tholestes and Fern often watched me practice my fighting moves as well. They were curious to know how humans fought. I wasn't an expert on fighting, it would take too long to explain to the raptors. So I showed them some moves that I knew from my favourite video game; Mortal Kombat. Hey, I knew it was lame and pretty stupid to show them moves from a video game, but like I said I was not an expert. Besides, they didn't know anything about video games at all.

They seemed to like it enough. Fern even tried copying me. It was kind of cool and amusing to see a raptor trying to fight like a human.

Terias sometimes visited the village, but I didn't talk to him. And neither did Fern or Tholestes, who were giving him the 'cold tail', the way they called it. I guess they hadn't forgiving him for what he had done. Nor have I, for that matter.

Two days passed and my exercises had giving me some results. My body felt lighter and less heavy. My muscle tone on my legs had hardened, but only just slightly. There still was a ways to go.

When my training was done for the day, I washed my dirty clothes and myself in the river. The cold water was nothing compared to the humidity during the day. My clothes did need washing and cleaning during those weeks on the island. Especially my underclothes. My boxers needed washing every few days when I wore them for long periods of time. My undershirts and socks also needed a little scrubbing now and again. To dry them off, I used a vine from the jungle and tied it to two posts that I dug into holes near the church. Thanks to the humidity, my clothes dried pretty fast. Tholestes and Fern often stared with bewilderment when I did this. I guess they never saw a human doing laundry before. How odd of me.

I did most of my training and exercise on an empty basketball court that was a little ways from the church. Tholestes and Fern would accompany me there to learn more about how humans fight.

Saturday arrived and the rains came with it that morning. There was nothing I could do about the roof leaks. I didn't have a ladder.

But I didn't stop training myself. Push-ups and crunches I did for the remainder of the morning until the rains stopped. Zephyr joined me in the training again and this time he didn't seem out of place about it.

I taught him some defensive moves like how to block an attacker and how to counterattack. He didn't do as well as Tholestes or Fern. Those two caught on well when I showed them. I guessed that since he was a herbivore, Zephyr's fighting skills were not as tuned as the raptors.

Tholestes and Fern made it possible for me to understand how the animals here protected themselves as well. Tholestes showed me how to stay up and downwind of prey animals. He showed me how a raptor could fool prey into thinking there was only one raptor stalking them.

I got early to train before the sun was barely over the jungle that Sunday morning. The air was sweet and cool as always. Zephyr came out as well and as usual, he started to browse around the church.

I went to the basketball court and practiced my fighting moves using a fashioned staff I had made from a stick. True it wouldn't do much against a larger dinosaur, but I was confident that I could stand a chance against any dinosaur that was smaller then me.

My confidants went right out the window when I felt something slap me in the back.

"Ow! What the hell!" I spun 'round and faced my attacker.

Standing in the basketball court, his eyes shinning in the semi dark, was Tholestes. I saw that his tail was raised slightly and that he was in a readying stance.

"Tholestes," I said, lifting a brow and backing away. "Why did you hit me with your tail? And why are you here this early?"

Tholestes gave me a mischievous sort of chirp and swung his tail again. But I was ready for it. I blocked his tail with my staff and side-stepped him. He swung again, but this time it was not for my middle. The tail swiped under my legs and I fell over on my ass.

"Ow! Son of a..." I got up, holding my staff in both hand and gripping it.

Tholestes stood up and smirked. I didn't like that. It meant he knew something I didn't.

"Ha, I was hoping you humans had better reflexes then that." He chirped. "I guess I was wrong, eh?"

"Don't get cocky," I grumbled, rubbing my backside. "You caught me off-guard, that's all. Besides, I think this is the perfect opportunity to use this thing in training. Now, shall we begin?"

I got into a fighting stance, readying my staff. Tholestes got into a stance as well. I just hoped this didn't hurt too much.

:

Oh, bloody shit! I didn't know which part of my body hurt the most. My back or my sides.

Tholestes and I had tied. Though we were both exhausted, it had been a good workout. I leaned on the basketball pole, breathing hard. Tholestes lowered himself on his haunches, not breathing hard at all. Lucky guy.

"I never knew you humans were so easy to attack and take down, Josiah." Said Tholestes. "No wonder your kind is easy to kill."

"Watch it, raptor," I said with a hint of anger. "Just because we don't have claws or fangs to take down prey, does not mean we are weaker none the less, got it?"

"Alight," Tholestes said. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

I waved his apology aside with my hand. "That's okay, Tholestes. Besides, it's not everyday a human like myself gets to practice fight with a raptor and win."

Tholestes snapped his head up. "You didn't win," He barked indigently. "We both won. It was a draw."

I gave him a smirk. "Yeah, that maybe. But you got to admit, Tholestes, I kicked your tail good."

Tholestes huffed. "Well, I knocked you on your backside as well, you know?"

I let out a laugh. "The expression is 'kick my ass'. And for the record, you didn't. "

We couldn't help it. We both laughed. Though Tholestes laugh was more like a hearty barking.

It had been good these last few weeks to have company here on the island.

Even if it was in the form of a Velociraptor. Many people on the mainland would never believe this. Course, they didn't have to know.

The people back in Enid would never understand this place like Eric and myself did. Of course, Eric was running scared most of the time he was here for eight weeks. The way he told his story to the public, he made his experience on the island look like a nightmare.

He made the dinosaurs look like monsters that only cared about eating him, killing him, or chasing him around.

There was no real beauty about the story he told. When I read his book and the part about him going berserk in a bunker, I thought the kid was truly pathetic. Going mad like that and feeling sorry for himself only made him look like a petty case. He believed that rescuers and even his own parents weren't coning for him. That they weren't going to save him from this island and the dinosaurs. Well, they proved him wrong.

Even after he and his parents were rescued, Eric still showed some fear of this place.

Then I realized something.

Sometimes fear was the appropriate response when it came to this island.

This place held the people on the mainland in a grip of fear.

That fear was inside Grant, Malcolm, Sattler, and now Eric.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts of such things.

Sure I was afraid of this place when I first arrived, but that all changed when I got to know the dinosaurs.

They never acted like blood-thirsty theme park monster out kill people. They acted like animals.

And with the footage and photos that I had taken over the last few weeks, I was sure that the public's opinion would change.

Eric and Malcolm's books didn't help with that. But what I had would.

I got up, wiped my brow of sweat, and went back to the church. Tholestes followed close by my side.

:


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Law of the jungle**

 _Ye may kill for yourselves, and your mates, and your cubs as they need and ye can;  
But kill not for pleasure of killing, and seven times never kill man._

 _(_ Kipling 1865)

 **Josiah's POV-**

My body felt refreshed and energized. My fifth week on the island was over. And so were my exercises. Now the fourth week began.

My mind raced with impossibles that I had made it this far on the island of Isla Sorna. An island that was swarming with dinosaurs. But I had made it.

This far at least. I still had three weeks to go before I had to leave.

This island had provided me with a new perspective on Site B. Alan, Eric and Ian have all had their bad experience with this island and so did I. But I didn't go running around shouting and screaming like a chicken with my head cut off.

The morning of my fourth week on the island brought a dark cloud over the village. Though I ignored it, it felt like an ominous wind was approaching.

I didn't know what it could mean. And who'd cared. Not me. It didn't mean anything dangerous was going to happen. Did it?

The morning wasn't going to be ruined because of some dark cloud, so I went outside with Zephyr. The air was cool and I couldn't help but feel that rain was going to fall again. I decided to shorten my exorcises just in case the rains acted up.

Zephyr kept close by while I did my routine practice fights. He watched occasionally, but I felt like the little guy's mind was elsewhere. And I think I knew where that was.

He was still thinking about going to the mainland with me when I would leave the island. Of course I would never actually do that.

Deep down I knew Zephyr knew it as well. The poor little guy still got it in his crested head that I would show him the outside world. What I really wanted him to do was to concentrate on us finding him a new herd to take him in. So fare, none did. Zephyr had been pushed away from other neighboring herds that passed by in the valleys and open plains. I had tried everything to get him to leave with a passing herd, but nothing seemed to work.

Zephyr simply and firmly told me that he was sticking with me. I finally had to give up. The little guy was stubborn. Just like Fern. The young Parasaur saw me now as his new herd. And I liked it. I considered the little guy like a brother. Even if he was a dinosaur.

:

It's strange how sometimes tragedy can strike without warning. And it is that unpredictability that can strike the ones that you care about the most.

After doing more exercises past morning, I felt bored. Zephyr felt the same way as well. I'd forgotten that there weren't any other young dinosaurs around for him to play with. Aside from Fern of course, but that didn't count.

So I took it upon myself to play with him that afternoon. I turned the basketball I had found in the church closets into a soccer ball and made goal posts out of two old tires from the garage.

Zephyr liked the game a lot. Even Fern, who had come to visit me, got into the spirit of the game too.

We played for an hour as the clouds above started to turn darker. I felt tiny drips of rain on my nose as I scored another goal. Zephyr may have been the goalie between the tires, but me and Fern had good kicks to match.

While this was going on, I heard the distant sounds of thunder. I cringed a bit, halting my pass to Fern. Thunder often meant lightning. And the truth was I didn't want to be outside during a storm.

"All right, you two," I said. "It looks like it's going to rain soon. One more game and then we head inside, alright?"

The both of them nodded and Zephyr went back to the posts. I kicked the ball to Fern and she used her tail to send it to Zephyr. The young Parasaur tried to block it but Fern's swing caused the ball to sail over Zephyr's crested head and into the brush behind him.

"Good hit, Fern." I said, adjusting my translator. "Real good hit."

Fern shook her head and smiled confidentially. "Well, I wouldn't call it that, Josiah. But you can always congratulate me anyway."

I rolled my eyes. "Don't let it go to your head, little raptor." I turned to Zephyr. "Hey, Zephyr, can you get the ball? I think it's time to turn in for the day."

"Sure thing," Called Zephyr. He turned and went into the jungle to find the ball.

I wish to god that I had never had sent him to get that ball. I wish I hadn't.

Even though Tholestes had re-scent marked the perimeters of the worker village, that didn't mean it could stop other raptors from intruding. And killing what they wanted.

With a horrified honking sound, Zephyr came bounding out of the jungle. I turned quickly to see what he was so scared about.

I got my answer.

Two black stripe raptors sprang out of the bush. They were so fast I didn't have to time to go for my rifle, which I had left beside the basket ball pole.

The first one of the raptors slammed into me, knocking me on my back. I felt my breath get suddenly knocked out of me as I felt a foot press roughly on my stomach. My head had hit the ground, making my ears ring. I felt the sharp point of a sickle claw press on my leg and knew that I was pinned.

Looking up, I saw the raptor leer down at me. I had seen the eyes of Tholestes and his pack's before. They had intelligence and pride in those eyes.

The black stripe raptor that had me pinned didn't. The eyes were yellow with black, cat-like slits. There was no intelligence or pride in those eyes. There was just...savagery and coldness.

I struggled to get the raptor off of me. It hissed menacingly and applied more pressure on my leg, the sickle claw digging into my jeans. I winced and stopped struggling. There was no point in getting an injured leg out of this.

The second raptor had Zephyr pinned as well. Craning my head to look, I saw the raptor's sickle claw on the young Parasaur's neck. I saw blood oozing from a wound caused by the claw.

Zephyr, bleating for help, tried to feebly push the raptor off of him. The carnivore wouldn't have that. It lifted a clawed hand and swiped it across Zephyr's face, drawing blood.

"No!" I shouted. "Leave him alone, you bastard!" I tried once again to struggle away from the raptor that had me pinned. Once again I felt the claw dig into my leg.

"I'd watch that mouth of yours, human," Hissed the raptor on top of me, leaning down so that his snout was close to my face. "Darger wants you alive. Though I can see why now. You can understand us."

I growled, "A lot better then you can!"

The raptor hissed and got off my leg. I turned and got up on my feet, readying myself to run but knew it would be foolish.

The raptor hissed, "Running is futile, human. Don't be stupid."

A rustle came from the bushes again and out stepped...

"Pava!" I exclaimed. "I should have known you'd come back here to the village to get me. So why now?"

Pava let out a sinister hiss. "The rains of course," She said. "It will rain soon and Tholestes and his pack won't be able to follow our trail back to our nesting site once the water washes away your scent."

I looked up at the sky and knew that she was right. Raptors relied on smell to track prey and to find each other if one of the pack ever got lost. Tholestes had told me that rain washed away any trace of scent in the air or on the ground. And the clouds above had darkened threateningly.

She was right. Once the rain came down upon the jungle, it would be impossible for Tholestes to track me.

Pava motioned for me to move. I shook my head.

"There is no way in hell I'm going with you." I said defiantly.

Pava hissed, came up to me, and growled, "Would you like your legs torn off instead?"

I gulped. That wouldn't be pleasant.

"No," I said, backing away a little.

"Then get moving. And remember don't try to run. Our legs are faster then yours, human."

Having no choice in the matter, I started walking. Pava smiled smugly and followed behind me.

The second raptor followed a little ways then stopped and asked, "What about the hollow horn?"

"Yes," Hissed the third raptor who had Zephyr pinned. "Can we eat him?"

I tensed and turned around to see Zephyr trying to struggle. There was fear in his eyes now. They were wide with it.

I turned to Pava who looked coolly back at her pack mates.

"Darger only wants the human," She said, flicking her tail. "He didn't say anything about the hollow horn. Kill him, immediately."

My heart almost explodes inside my chest.

"NO!" I cried. I tried to get to Zephyr but Pava blocked my way, hissing threateningly. She was just close enough that I can smell the rancid odour of rotten meat on her breath.

"You can't!" I said again.

Pava hissed, "It is only natural on this island that the weak must die, human, and the strong survive. You do not understand these things. You are just a human."

I watched in horror as the two raptors attacked Zephyr, who was now bleating in absolute terror. The raptor who had him pinned slashed at his neck, blood gushing from the wound. The second raptor tore into Zephyr's stomach, spilling his intestines into the dirt pavement. Zephyr feebly tried to push the raptor away but it was no use. He was being eaten while he was still alive and moving. Oh, god. No.

I turned away from the grisly sight, my insides burning. I felt like vomiting and crying at the same time but didn't.

Zephyr's gurgling grunts and pitiful squeaks filled the air as the two raptors devoured him alive. They soon stopped and Zephyr, the Parasaurolophus who had been my friend on Isla Sorna, was dead. I opened my eyes and looked over to the dead dinosaur on the ground. Zephyr's eyes were closed, the both of them. There was a peaceful look on his face. Even when the two raptors started to dig into his flesh again, Zephyr's billed expression remained peaceful and calm.

I felt tears well up in my eyes and turned again to wipe them away. There was no way that I was going to show my tears to these...animals.

Luckily, Pava hadn't noticed.

Not wanting to wait for her pack mates, Pava turned to me and nudged my back.

"Get moving, human," She said with inpatients. "I want you upfront where I can see you. And remember what I said about trying to run."

I glared at her but did what I was told. Besides, I didn't want to watch the two raptors eating Zephyr anymore.

Pava called back, "After the two of you are done eating that hollow horn, catch up with me."

The two raptors looked up and nodded, blood and bits of flesh dripping from their snouts and then continued eating.

Pava snorted under her breath, "Gluttons,"

I and turned one last time to look a Zephyr before I went into the jungle with Pava.

All the little guy wanted to do was to see the outside world just once. And I had denied him of that. All because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to protect him.

Well, now I had failed him. I had failed to protect him here on this very island. I should have done something.

I knew that deep down that I couldn't.

I had left my rifle beside the basketball pole and like a fool I'd screwed up. Big time. And Zephyr had payed the price.

The dark clouds opened up and the rain came pouring down. I was drenched within seconds. Thunder rumbled in the distance and I saw that a flash of lightning had lit up the dark jungle ahead.

As I walked, I thought about what Pava had said. This was the way of Isla Sorna. The way of the animals here on the island. It had taught me that the strong survived, and the weak perished. That was why it was called the law of the jungle.

:

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:


	12. Chapter 111

**Chapter 11: Their home...**

:

Fern had hidden the whole time the black stripes had been there at the village. She had been hiding inside a rundown service bus that was across the street next to where they were.

Fern had cringed a little when Zephyr had died and felt a little sad that her playmate was dead. Even though it was in the nature of raptors and other predators to eat plant eaters, Fern never liked the idea of killing for pleasure like a black stripe. They even killed when they weren't hungry. They killed for the pleasure of it. They never passed-up prey.

The rain soon came pouring down in sheets, the thunder rumbling overhead. Fern knew that the two raptors would have no choice but to leave soon to catch up with Pava and Josiah. And, soon enough after stuffing their gobs, the raptors dashed away into the jungle, leaving Zephyr's body for the Compys and other scavengers.

Fern got out of the bus and moved as fast as she could back to her nest. She had to tell her big brother what happened and fast.

 **Josiah's POV-**

The jungle around me had grown darker. Thunder rumbled in the distance. I walked on, feeling the rain drench me from head to toe. Pava followed behind me. She didn't seem bothered by the rain at all. Her scales glistened in the semi light that shone through the jungle canopy. Above, the clouds stayed dark and grey.

Even though I was alive and still kicking, I knew that it would only a matter of time before we reached Pava's territory. She had pushed me several times impatiently already to get me to move faster. I did move faster but it didn't seem to satisfy her at all.

An hour later we came upon a narrow jungle path that fork in the middle. Rivulets of rain water made streams in the muddy path.

Pava nudged me toward the left trail that led to a grassy area that opened into a meadow. As we walked beyond the long grass, I saw that the meadow actually led to another area filled with a series of buildings. This threw me. I hadn't been to this part of the island before. The buildings around us were old and broken, as if mother nature herself had come down upon it. Some of the old buildings were covered in ivy, their windows broken and doors busted. Roofs and walls were caved in from long ago. This place must have gotten hit by hurricane Clarissa those many years ago that Hammond mentioned in the journal.

But it was the building up ahead that caught my eyes. It was a large, blocked building that sat at the very back of the other buildings, which was made only three-stories high.

I then realized where I was. The Site B laboratories. It wasn't but there it was. The rain stopped pouring, a light drizzle following soon after. I felt relieved. Though my clothes were still wet.

Pava nudged me yet again in the back to get me to walk. I gave her an irritated look but decided not say anything.

We approached the building and climbed the cracked and vine-covered steps to the entrance doors, which were broken and bent.

Two raptors were waiting for us in the waiting lobby. It, like the outside of the building, was encrusted with mold. Behind the desk was the InGen technologies logo, vines slowly creeping over it. Holes in the roof above had allowed puddles of water into the room, and vines hung from the ceilings of the lobby.

The two raptors, both female, hissed when they saw me approach, their teeth bared. I stopped in my tracks and backed away. Pava came around from behind me and faced the two raptors, barking, "I've brought the human that alpha Darger wanted. Step aside."

The two females both nodded at Pava and parted, bowing slightly in submission to her. This probably meant that these two were betas who guarded and patrolled the packs territory.

We walked passed the two raptor sentries and down a hallway that led to an S-curve. There were a pair of vending machines that held snacks. Though some of them, while taking a closer look, had grown stale over the years.

I felt Pava nudge me again. "Keep moving, human," She said impatiently with a growl. "Darger does not like to be kept waiting."

I grumbled under my breath, "Mind your shoving, dinosaur,"

Pava growled and nudged my back even harder. This bitch was asking for it big time.

We walked up a small set of stairs that led to a rotunda. In the middle of it were two old-looking statues. One was a tyrannosaur and the other was a Triceratops. Both looked like they were locked in combat. There was a small bar to one side of the room as well. Inside, were several bottles on the shelf, now of which were empty.

There was even a grey stone reception desk with a plexiglass logo of INGEN on the front behind it.

Pava guided me up the stairs to the third floor. Along the landing were crusty animal droppings. I cringed a little as we walked past because I knew were those droppings came from. Didn't these raptors ever do their business outside like every other dinosaur. Gross! The whole place smelled like a used animal cage. It was damp as well. This meant that my soaked clothes wouldn't dry fast in here.

We turned left on the landing and into another hallway. This led to series of doors key card locks that were password protected. They were heavy duty doors, too. But right now they were ajar and rusty with age. I did notice that some of them had broken windows from inside. I would have to use one of them later to get out of here for when I escaped.

As Pava and I walked, passing by other raptors, I began to notice that some of them were malnourished and thin. The juveniles were scrabbling over a Compy carcase while some of the adults chewed and gnawed on bones. They paid no attention to us.

I turned to Pava and asked with a little concern, "Pava, is your pack starving?"

Pava growled but didn't say anything.

"I mean, I just saw some of your pack mates back there fighting over a small kill and..."

"That is not your concern, human," She hissed, nudging me hard. "My pack is fine. We're just not hunting the way we used to."

"Why is that?" I felt like I was pushing my luck with this raptor but I had to try something to get on her good side.

Pava let out an irritated hissing sigh. "If you must know, human, my pack has had some problems as of late. The herds no longer pass near the tall grass where we used to hunt. They've gotten wise on how to avoid our territory. Not even the club tails come anymore. So Darger had our pack move to another territory. This old human settlement was right next to our old nesting site so we claimed it as ours. There were no other packs who had it."

We turned a corner and arrived at an office. The area around it was littered with bones of small dinosaurs and droppings. There was a nasty sour odour that stung my nose. I took a sharp breath as we entered. I surprised of what I saw.

The office was large. Upturned desks and tables were pushed to the side of the walls which were crusted with mold, dirt, and vines. On the floor were tattered carpeting and old animal bones. But what I noticed the most about the room was that there were nests. There were five of them in all. Each of them had a female raptor nestled or lying in one.

The raptors looked over at me, hissing and growling as we entered the office. Pava got in front of me and addressed her pack sisters.

"I've brought the human that alpha Darger wanted. He is off limits so don't even try to take a bite out of him, understand?"

Each of the female raptors nodded their heads. They each stopped hissing but kept an unfriendly glare at me.

"I am leaving him here in this room with you. Watch him and make sure he doesn't try to escape."

Pava turned to one of the females in a nest next to the door.

"How are the eggs that we pilfered from Kara's nest doing?" She asked, nudging a clutch of eggs between the female's legs. I looked closely and saw that there were three eggs in all. So they weren't smashed after all. The the eggs were still intact.

"They're not ready to hatch yet, beta Pava," The female said with a disappointed hiss. "These eggs are not like ours. They don't hatch fast enough."

Pava rolled her eyes and sighed. "Forest raptor eggs always take a long time, pack sister."

She then noticed me looking and growled. I turned my head away quickly and nonchalantly whistled, pretending I didn't see anything.

Not buying it, Pava nudged me hard in the side, which made me stumble a little.

"Sit over there, human," Pava growled, pointing to an empty nest at the back of the office. "You'll wait there until I come back with Darger. And remember not to try and escape."

I glared at her but did as I was told. The other raptors looked at Pava with a mixture of surprise and puzzlement.

"Can that human understand you, beta Pava?" A raptor asked, tilting her head curiously at her.

Pava smiled contently and nodded. "He can, pack sister. That is why alpha Darger wanted him here."

The raptors murmured to each other, glancing at me as I passed them. I sat down in the nest and tried to make myself as comfortable as possible. Even though the room was warm, the smell was nasty and hung in the air.

Luckily, thanks to the broken windows in the room, some fresh air and cool breeze did waft in.

Pava departed from the office and I was left alone with the five raptors.

Having nothing else to do in the meantime, I looked around the office for anything useful I could use. There was an old empty backpack and a couple of tools-a hammer, a crowbar, a screwdriver, and a can of spray paint. Spray paint? Wait a minute my lighter! I dug into my pocket and brought it out. Good. It was still here and it was full. This and the spray paint would make a good makeshift flamethrower for later. I put everything I found in the backpack, then sat down back in the nest. None of the raptors paid much attention to me when I had done this. They just sat in their nests. One or two of had looked over at me with suspicion, but soon ignored me.

I thought about Fern as I waited in the nest. She hadn't been seen, that was good, but would she be able to get help. Tholestes would probably jump at the chance to come and save me, no doubt about it. Then there was Phaganax. I highly doubted that he would even think of coming to save little old me.

No. I had to get out of here myself. I didn't want Tholestes or his pack risking themselves for me. I got myself into this mess, and I was going to get myself out of it.

:

 **Tholestes POV-**

"We need to go after him!" I said, pacing in a circle in my nest, before letting out a worried growl. "The black stripes will kill him for sure if we don't."

Fern had returned to the nest a few minutes ago and had told me and the alphas what had happened at the human village. The rain hadn't stopped falling since then.

Kara shook her head, water splashing off her snout. "We can't risk it, Tholestes. Darger will expect it. He's no fool and you know that. It will be a trap. And a stupid one at that."

I shook my head, trying not to believe it. "But Josiah risked his life to save my sister from Nil. Aren't we duty-bound to do the same?"

Phaganax stomped a foot down and hissed to silence me. "He is not a raptor, Tholestes. He's a human! We can not risk our pack for him."

I looked at both my alphas and lowered my head in defeat.

Kara softly placed her snout on my cheek, purring to try and comfort me.

"Is there nothing we can do to save him?" I said with a mewl, looking into her eyes. "He saved my sister's life."

"It is too dangerous to go after him, Tholestes," She said, giving me a gentle lick with her tongue. "I'm sorry."

She and Phaganax both left me alone in my nest, feeling hopeless. There was nothing I could do. There was nothing anyone in my pack could do.

Josiah was dead for sure. The black stripes probably have torn him apart by now, spilling his guts into the dirt and killing him slowly.

No! I shook my head to clear away such a thought. He was still alive. I know he was. The black stripes hadn't killed him yet. But what could I do?

It would suicidal for me to just go into that territory and just save him by myself.

I closed my eyes, then settled into my nest to think. I thought for a long time. In silence.

:

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:


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: Master of the house**

:

 **Tholestes POV-**

I had made up my mind. I was going after Josiah. Alone if I had to.

The rain had finally stopped and the clouds overhead cleared.

That was good and all, but Josiah's scent would be long gone by now. And so would the black stripes.

But I knew where their territory was located. I could start there and hopefully pick up Josiah's scent.

I was just about to leave my nest and head into the jungle, when a movement caught my eye near a tree. I saw that it was my brother, who was making his way into the jungle as well.

Curious, I went after him.

Terias was making his toward the human village. Why would he go there?

"Terias, stop!" I cawed to him.

Terias stopped and turned to me. I walked up to him and gave him a stern look.

"Where do you think you're going, little brother?" I said.

Terias stared at me. Then he turned away.

"I thought that if I went after Josiah myself, you and Fern and grandfather would stop giving me the cold-tail."

I snorted and stood in front of him.

"And you really think that would work, Terias? The black stripes would kill you before you'd even have a chance of saving him. And what makes you think that doing this would redeem what you did?"

Terias let out a soft whimper and said, "I just thought..."

"You'd just thought that if by saving Josiah's life, we'd welcome you back and the whole thing would be forgotten?' I said harshly, pressing my snout against his. "I haven't forgotten, little brother. I haven't forgotten how you treated me like a pile of stinking dung for the past few weeks. How you, Nil and Cain harassed me just for having the position as beta. And when our little sister was being attacked by Nil, Josiah stepped in to protect her from his claws. Where were you when that was happening?"

Terias looked down shamefully. I knew that I was venting all my anger on him and that he was feeling sorry for what he did, but I was not letting him off that easy.

"I thought so. You were just standing with the other pack members, not doing anything to help our sister. She could have gotten seriously hurt or worse."

Terias looked up at me and I saw remorse in his eyes. I softened a little, but kept my tone hard.

"I appreciate you trying to make-up for what you did wrong, but I can not forgive you for what you didn't do."

I turned away from him and started walking in the direction of the village.

Turning my head around, I said to Terias, "Go back to grandfather and Fern, Terias. Tell them where I've gone and not to worry. And don't tell alpha Kara or Phaganax either."

Terias nodded slowly, turned, and then dashed away into the brush to return to the nests.

I let out a sigh. I knew that Terias just wanted to help, but I couldn't risk getting him killed.

I continued on my to village and soon came upon the carcass of Zephyr. I controlled myself on trying not to eat him when I got close to his body. Even though the smell of blood was in the air, I refused to even take a bite. Compys and flies were all over his him. Some of the Compys scattered when they saw me approach but I just ignored them. I had to focus on picking up Josiah's scent. I tried sniffing as best I could, but the rains had all but washed away his and the black stripes scent.

I was just about to head to the church building when something in the air caught my nose. It was a familiar scent that Josiah had on his body whenever he exercised and got sweaty. It was a sweet, ocean scent that mixed with Josiah's body odor. I instantly knew what it was. Josiah had told me that he called it _'Deodorant'_. I didn't know what that stuff was for. I had always seen Josiah put some of it under his arms occasionally, but I usually didn't ask him why. All it did was make him smell a little.

Well, that smelling a little gave me an advantage now. I now had Josiah's scent.

The smell led into the jungle past Zephyr's body. That's the way I needed to go.

I went into the jungle, and followed the scent that seemed to lead in the direction of the tall grass. I traveled swiftly. I had to get to Josiah before the black stripes killed him. Or worse.

 **Josiah's POV-**

A few minutes passed by as I waited for Pava to come back with Darger.

I felt nervous all over. Coming from Phaganax, this Darger raptor of the black stripes sounded like bad news. A second later I got to see what Phaganax was talking about.

Pava returned to the office. Behind her were two other male raptors. And standing between them, taller then Pava and the two males, was none other then the leader of the black stripes himself: Darger.

The raptor stood tall as he walked into the room and stood before me. Pava's nest sisters stood at attention as well just as she did.

I got my first look at Darger and was surprised to see that he didn't look any different then the two males in the room with him. He was big. Not fat big, but past-his-prime big. His snout had facial scaring and there were some wrinkles along his jawline. His coloration of his scales were a little bit darker then the two males. The stripes along his body were dark as well and his eyes held a cold, ruthless pride that made the hairs on my skull almost stand.

I could also see that a bit of his tail was gone, leaving only a bit of a nub. Looking down at his sickle claws, I noticed that his left claw was broken off. There was only a jagged piece of the talon left.

"So," Darger rumbled. "You must be the human that Pava here has told me so much about."

"And you must be the big-bad Darger that Tholestes warned me about." I said back as calmly as I could.

"So, you can understand us," Darger hissed, leaning in to sniff me. "I must say that I'm surprised that you can, human. Many of the old keepers never quite understood our tongue at all."

"Why should they? You probably didn't have anything worth to say that they wanted to listen to."

Darger hissed and drew back his head away from me. That was good. He breath and reptilian stink bothered my nose.

"You have a quick-wit, human. And a mouth to match. Best you watch it or you'll have it ripped off."

I gulped silently. I had to keep my mouth from spurting off like that.

"Why did you bring me here?" I asked slowly.

"Well, that's an interesting question," said Darger pleasantly. "And quite a long story. I suppose the real reason I wanted you here was because I figured that Phaganax would come looking for you. I wanted the pleasure of killing him myself"

"What are you talking about?" I said. "Phaganax won't come for me. He hates my guts. He won't risk himself just for me."

Darger chuckled. It didn't suit him at all as a raptor. "Have you ever wondered why he hates humans as much as we do, hmm?"

"Because a human keeper killed his mother when he was just chick," I said, not really understanding where Darger was going with this. "Alpha Kara and Tholestes's grandfather told me."

Darger laughed, a low, cold raptilan laugh that made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.

"Foolish human. Do you really think that a clumsy keeper was capital of killing a raptor like her? It was _I_ who killed her."

"What do you mean?" I said, my mouth becoming dry.

"Haven't you guessed yet, human?" said Darger softly. "I killed Phaganax's mother, Sorsha, and he blamed it on the human keepers. He didn't know that it was I who killed her. I who ended her pathetic life."

"No," I whispered, feeling horrified.

"Yes," said Darger, calmly. "Of course, this all took place during the great storm. The keepers were forced to release us from our pens. I and several of my old pen-mates gathered in a group and fled our pens as soon as they were opened by the gatekeepers. I stayed behind and tried to get Sorsha to come with me. I wanted her to be my mate."

"But she didn't, did she?" I said half smiling. "I bet she already had a mate."

"Yes," Darger growled, his lip curling in disgust. "Sorsha had a mate alright. He had already given her eggs and they had hatched a few weeks later. Fortunately for me, only one survived when they had been only a few days old. One of them was Phaganax. The rest were killed when Compys got inside the pens and killed them during the night or got sick and died from natural causes. Phaganax was a strong chick. I could see that. And so did Sorsha. Even if we were kept in separate pens, I could always tell when Sorsha and her mate would talk about being free... together."

Darger laughed his low laugh once more.

"But it didn't last long. The keepers soon got wind that Sorsha had been mating with her foolish lover and they soon got rid of him. After he was 'taken care of', I moved in to try my luck. Much to my disappointment, and anger as well, she refused me. She told me that if I even thought of trying to lay a claw on her, she would rip my manhood off with her teeth."

"I bet Sorsha saw right through you," I said, with a smug smile. "She wasn't fooled for an instant."

"Well, she certainly kept an annoyingly close watch on me after her mate was killed by the keepers," said Darger with a sneer. "I knew it wouldn't be safe to try and forcibly have her as my mate while the keepers were watching. But I and the rest of the animals in our pens knew that a great storm was coming. The storm that would free us all from the keepers."

Darger paced around the room, ignoring me as he passed by. The other raptors didn't say anything as he did this. They just watched him.

"It didn't take long for the storm to finally hit the island." said Darger. "The keepers, in their haste to got off of the island themselves, released us from our pens. We were free. We were finally free! All the caged dinosaurs fled into the jungle. They wanted to get as faraway from the keepers as possible. We raptors were released the last. The packs split into different parts on the island. Yes, my pack had no alphas yet at that time, but it didn't matter. I knew who I wanted as my alpha."

He paused to run his talons against the wall of the office, leaving a deep gash.

"Sorsha would not come with me," Darger growled. "She stayed behind to help stragglers who had fallen behind. I stayed in the shadows until Phaganax and Tholeste's grandfather were out of sight. Then I made my move. Imagine how angry I was when the wretched female would not come with me. I had no choice but to end her life right then and there."

My fists were clenched, the nails digging deep into my palms.

"I stood over her body as the storm raged around us," said Darger, his voice angry. "Damn her for denying me. But if she wasn't going to be mine, then she would not be anyone's."

"She was Phaganax's mother," I said, my voice now shaking while keeping my eyes on him. "And you killed her. Why?"

Darger walked up to me and stared venomously into my eyes.

"Because she should have been mine!"

"YOU ARE PATHETIC!" I shouted. "JUST BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T WANT YOU AS A MATE, YOU HAD NO RIGHT-"

"SILENCE!" Darger shrieked, drawing a clawed hand up to strike me. "I will not be spoken to like that by a filthy human!"

Darger swiped at me but I dodged it. The claw missed my shoulder but I felt my shirt tear. Darger raised his claw again, hissing.

"Don't talk about what you don't understand, human!" He spat. "I had every right to kill her. It is what we do. Besides, poor little Phaganax never really found out about how his poor mother died. When I had killed her and left her body where it was, Phaganax returned and found his mother had dead from unknown cause. Thanks to the rain that was pouring down upon her body, my scent was gone. Pathetic little chick cried for his mother until Sandar came and took him away."

Darger lowered his claws and backed away from me. He calmly continued speaking.

"You will stay here in this room until tomorrow morning. And I advise you not to try and escape. Do you realize the position that you are in?"

I nodded grimly. I winced a little when I felt my shoulder sting when I moved it. Darger must have done more then just cut my shirt.

"Good," said Darger. He turned to Pava. "Have one your sisters stay in here to watch him and to keep the stolen eggs warm on that nest."

Pava bowed as Darger left the room. "Yes, alpha Darger."

The two male raptors followed after Darger. The three other female raptors went along with them, leaving only the one female, who was sitting on the nest with Phaganax's eggs, behind.

When they were gone and out of sight, Pava turned to me.

"Be thankful that he didn't tear you apart, human" Pava chided at me with a growl. "He's known to do a far lot worse to those who speak to him in such a manner."

I glared at her and shot back, "How can you just... just stand there and not flinch when he openly confessed that he took the life of Phaganax's mother? Don't you care?"

Pava looked down and I could see that she contemplating my words.

"Listen," she said, looking up at me before turning to leave. "there is no chance for you to escape from here. There are sentries in and around this place. Darger says that he has a use for you. And what's more, the pack could use your help. And when our pack take over Phaganax's territory, we can live prosperous life as kings."

"Then enjoy your reign in Hell, Pava," I said, drawing my legs up to my chest as best I could. "Phaganax will never give up his pack's territory to you or to Darger."

Pava growled low in her throat, bared her teeth, then walked away.

I was alone once again. The lone female raptor was the only company I had.

I sighed sadly. I now understood why Phaganax hated humans so much. Why he hated me. I had to push that thought out of my head. I could not allow it to get in my way of trying to get out of here. Besides, Phaganax will want to hear from me how his mother really died.

Unzipping my backpack, I took out the lighter and paint spray. Two good weapons I could use. Well, now was as good as any.

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	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Where there is smoke...**

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 **Josiah's POV-**

I first needed a plan on getting out of the office first. The female raptor left with me in the room was the only one I had to worry about. And right now she was busy cleaning her claws. She paid no attention to me.

That was good. But I didn't know how much lighter fluid I had in the lighter. Was it half empty or was it full?

I had no time to contemplate on it. I had to get out of here now and take the stolen eggs with me.

I took out the lighter and ignited it. The loud ' _Ka-chick_ ' of the lighter sounded loud in the still office. I looked quickly to the raptor, dashing the lighter out of sight.

The raptor didn't even look up at the sudden strange sound. It just continued to clean itself, snorting in irritation of the cloud of flies around it's snout.

I let out a soft breath. She was on the far side of the office near the door and I was all the way over here near the windows. It made sense that she didn't hear it.

Carefully, I brought out the lighter again and tried to light it. I had to make sure it was full. The lighter lit up after I tried two times. It was full. The flame wasn't small, but neither was it big. I didn't know how long the flame would last if I used it as a flamethrower with the paint spray. My best bet was use the flame to set fire to the office.

Fire was an animal's worst enemy. Next to man, that is.

The mere smell of smoke would drive any animal into a frenzy to run away.

Well, it was now or never.

I looked around the office to see what I could burn while also keeping an eye on the raptor. My first thought was that I could use the nest I was sitting in. But decided not to. I can't risk setting my own ass on fire just escape.

The walls that were covered in vines and mold to my left and to my right seemed like they could catch fire. But would they? There was only one way to find out.

I picked up a piece of old crumbled paper and set it a flame. I then tossed it over to the wall on my left. The right wall wasn't close enough. At first nothing seemed to happen. The wall didn't catch fire.

But there was smoke.

Then, after a few seconds, the vines at the bottom of the floor started catching. Wait a minute. The floor? Oh, damn!

The floor wasn't suppose to catch fire! The wall was!

Well, it was to late. The dry paper and leafage on the floor were beginning to smoke.

This was something the raptor noticed. She let out a frightened squawk, got up from the nest and dashed out of the office like the devil himself was on her tale.

Score! I got up and quickly went over to the nest and picked up the eggs, careful not break any of them. I made some room in the backpack for them by removing the wrench and screwdriver and placed each of them inside, zipping up the pack shut after I checked to make sure I had them all.

Phase one and two were complete. Now for phase three: getting out of the compound and escaping back to the other village.

My first idea was to just run out of the office and escape down the hall and hopefully find an open door that would lead me out of the building.

The fire was still burning, but the smoke wasn't spreading fast enough so that it would spread through the complex. I could rule that one out because there was not enough smoke I could use as a screen.

I had only one option left to me. The office window. I went over to it and looked out. There were thick vines growing alongside the wall on both sides.

I could use it to climb down the wall. It was better then escaping through the halls of the complex. I took off my translator device from my ears and put it in my pocket.

"I hope Phaganax appreciates this," I mumbled grumpily to myself as I climbed out the window and grabbed a vine. "I'm going to a lot of trouble saving his and Kara's eggs!"

I grunted and grumbled as I started to climb down. It wasn't easy going. The vines were sometimes apart and some of them even came loose under my foot, making me slip dangerously. Above me I could see thick smoke billowing out of the window. I smiled proudly as I continued to climb down. From somewhere in the complex I heard raptors screeching and yelping in panic. That was good. The smoke kept them occupied and it gave me time to escape.

Finally I made down to the ground. But I wasn't out of the woods yet. With the fire and the raptors running around the place, I was still in their territory and still in danger. I may have made it out of the building, but I was far from safe.

There were raptors still around here and judging by the clear sky above my head and the lack of rain, they would catch my scent fast.

My only hope was to make my way around the outer buildings on the right and sneak past them.

Five minutes later, I was making my way through the back alleys of the general stores and gas station. I saw that the smoke on the complex was now thick and rising in the sky. I couldn't hear anymore raptors but I couldn't take a chance and go out into the open. I had to stay in the shadows until I reached the safety of the jungle.

After going a few more yards of sneaking behind the buildings, I finally reached the narrow path that would lead me to the tall grass. I couldn't smile just yet. I was still in the black stripes territory. If I moved out into the open to get to the trail, I could be spotted by a sentry raptor or scout. And the only weapons I had were the crowbar and screwdriver. The lighter and spray paint I wanted to save for later in case I needed it. If I came across one raptor I could probably hurt it real bad with the crowbar.

The trees above were close together and the trail was narrow enough so that the bushes on either side made a trail. Good cover until I could reach the tall grass.

Across from where I was I could see that there were some high cliffs that surrounded the village. I groaned a little because the narrow path in front of me was the only way out of here.

Sucking in a breath, I made a mad dash toward the opening of the trail.

Bad move.

No sooner had I crossed the gap to the trail did a nearby raptor caw split the air.

I turned and saw a black stripe raptor on the roof a building, it's head to the sky and cawing like made.

"Oh, bloody hell!" I said. "It's calling for help!"

I knew it would be only a matter of time before the other black stripes heard that raptor's cries and came running. There was no time to lose. I ran for it.

As soon as I got onto the path I heard more raptor calls. They were coming in fast. Heart pumping, I ran down the trail to the tall grass. A minute later after running, I slowed to a jog and looked behind me. There weren't any raptors coming after me. But they'd be coming soon. Over above the trees I could see smoke. The fire was still going. I could smell the smoke from where I was standing.

Then I smelled something else. It was a peculiar odor, sweet and nauseating at the same time. It smelled like dried vomit.

Then I remembered where I smelled it. The hairs on the back of my neck and skull went up when I heard the familiar hooting cry. The hooting cry of a dilophosaur.

"Shit," I said, looking around the trail. "Not here. Not now."

I ran for the tall. I didn't care if a dilophosaur heard me running, I was not about to be blinded by spitting venom. I knew that in the eyes it was painful but not fatal. According to Tholestes and his grandfather, washing the venom out with water and mud usually did the trick to help get it off and out of your eyes.

I as soon as I got inside the tall elephant grass, I slowed down to catch my breath. I was sweating and my heart felt like it was going to explode like crazy.

Now that I was in the tall grass and concealed by it, I took off my back back and checked the eggs. They were okay and undamaged by all the running and bumpiness that I did. How about that.

My heart stopped thumping and I was able breath normally.

I peeked out over the grass to see if the raptors were still following me. To my dismay they had not given up so easy.

Four raptors had made their way out of the trail and near the edge of the elephant grass. Their heads were on alert and scanning the jungle and, to my dread, the tall grass.

I ducked my head back into the grass. Somehow I had to make my way through the grass to the other side and to the jungle.

I turned and quickly made my way through the grass, keeping my body low enough so that my backpack couldn't be seen.

The sour smell of the dilophosaur didn't go away and I was nervous that I could run into it at any moment.

I heard rustling to my right. I froze. It didn't sound close, but I didn't want to stay where I was to find out if it was coming toward me. I hadn't made a lot of noise to draw any attention to myself. And the raptors were still on the far side of the grass. So what made that noise?

I got my answer.

Something from behind my back knocked me to my stomach before I could react. Looking over my shoulder I saw the form a raptor standing over me.

I closed my eyes and braced myself for the end. The end I knew was coming!

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	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: The horrible truth**

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 **Tholestes POV-**

I had finally found Josiah in the tall grass. I had him pinned right under my front claws but if he didn't stop struggling I could hurt him.

"Josiah, calm down! It's me!" I hissed, backing away so that he could get up.

Josiah stood up and stared at me for a second. Then he dug into his pocket and took out his translator device and put it in each of his ears.

"Tholestes, is that you?" He said in bewilderment, placing the device on under his shirt. "How did you find me?"

"I followed your scent," I said, turning back in the direction I had came from. "but there is no time to talk. We can't stay here. Follow me and stay low."

Josiah nodded. We both silently made our way to the edge of the tall grass and out of it to the jungle. We weren't safe yet though. We both were still in the black stripes territory. I knew that running with my speed could get me back to my packs territory in minutes. But Josiah was slow-moving. Even with his speed and gait, he could slow me down. I had to remember that humans were not as swift as raptors. I then decided that I had to make a decision that could cost me my pride.

"Josiah, you need to get on my back," I said, lowering myself to the ground.

"What?" Josiah said.

"I need for you to get on my back. Your not fast enough to keep up with me on foot. Now get on before I change my mind."

Josiah did what he was told and climbed onto my back, steadying himself so that his legs were pressed against my sides. He wasn't heavy. He was light enough so that all he had to do was hold on with both of his hands.

I took off running. Josiah held on as best he could but I could feel that he was going to slip off if he didn't get a tighter grip on me.

"Wrap your arms around my neck!" I barked, turning my head slightly so that could still keep an eye where I was going.

Josiah did as he was told and I soon felt his arms wrap around my broad neck. His grip was better and he didn't feel like he was slipping anymore.

But I started choke a little when he squeezed to tightly.

Ignoring it, I pushed on.

 **Josiah's POV-**

I was riding a dinosaur! I couldn't believe I was riding a dinosaur!

I felt both amazed and a little scared. But also excited because this was my first time doing something like this. It was awesome.

Despite the size deference between me and him, Tholestes was able to carry me with no problem.

A few minutes later, we finally arrived back at my church. It hadn't been a smooth ride, and I knew that my ass would really be sorry in the morning, but the good news was that I had made back to the village with Phaganax and Kara's eggs.

I got off of Tholestes and went to the church. When I got inside, I took off the backpack, placed it on the kitchen table, and opened it to mak sure that none of the eggs were broken.

To my relief, none of the eggs were cracked or broken. I guess dinosaur eggs were tougher then I originally thought.

Tholestes appeared in the doorway of the kitchen.

"Are you going to be all right, Josiah?" He said, turning to leave.

I nodded. "I'll be fine, Tholestes. But I need you to do me a favour for me before you go. Could you take these eggs back to Kara and Phaganax?"

Tholestes looked down at the eggs. "Where did you get those?"

"From the black stripes nest," I said, placing the eggs onto the table. "I believe these are Kara and Phaganax's eggs that were stolen from their nest. I think it's best that they go back to them, don't you think?"

Tholestes sniffed at each of the eggs and nodded, confirming that they were indeed the eggs stolen from Kara's nest.

"I'll take them back. And I'll tell Phaganax and Kara that it was you who brought them back safe and sound."

He took two of the eggs in each of his claws and the third in his mouth, this he did with the utmost care. He turned and left the church and headed back in the direction of his territory.

I was about to close the door, when I remembered something. Zephyr.

It would be dishonest of me to just leave his body where it was without saying something. Besides, I couldn't let the Compys get at him.

After finding his body and seeing that Compys were eating him, I decided to shoo them away and say my respects to him. The little scavengers scattered and waited by the edge of the jungle as I got to one knee and bowed my head. I didn't know what to say to the little guy. I decided to make something up that would at least sound sincere.

"Goodbye, Zephyr. Let this island and the jungle be your shelter forever. I'm sorry that I could not protect you. But like I told you before when we first met, I'm not here to protect anybody. Just to survive. Though now I regret saying those words. But I promise you this, little guy. When my nine weeks on this island are up and I get back home to the mainland, I will make sure to tell people that you and your kind and the other dinosaurs on this island are living creatures and not theme park monsters. Goodbye, my friend. And thank you."

I got up and returned to the church. Looking back, I saw the Compys resume their feeding. I grimaced as one of them bent down and nibbled on the flesh of Zephyr's open eye.

Being on my third week on the island was slow-going to get to the second week. The days felt longer and the island's weather seemed to agree with it.

The fourth week had gone by fast. To me it felt like the days had simply rolled by without me noticing. During that time I had barricaded and reinforced the church so that no raptor or smaller dinosaur could get in by any means. I kept one of the front doors blocked and had sealed it with wooden planks. The other door was my way in and out of the church whenever I went outside. Though I kept that locked at night as well. The windows I also barricaded for extra measure.

Tholestes scented and re-scented the boundaries of the village more often while accompanied by his brother and sister. He had to make sure that no black stripe came here again.

Terias and Tholestes looked like they were now on speaking terms with each other again. That was good. It was nice to see two brothers make up.

I, on the other hand, still was a bit miffed at the young raptor. Tholestes noticed that I was avoiding his brother every time he and Fern came with him to the village. He tried to get me to talk to Terias at one point, but I told him that his brother's action need to speak louder then his words if he was to apologize to me.

My real concern right now was Phaganax. I haven't heard from him since I had gotten back from being taken by the black stripes.

I asked Tholestes if he had told his pack alpha that it was I who has saved the eggs. Tholestes just told me that Phaganax simply didn't say anything after he did tell him. Told me later in the afternoon that Phaganax said hardly a single solitary word to him the whole time. Just sat in his nest looking straight ahead into the jungle. Told me he had never seen that kind of look on a raptor alpha's face before. The look of gratefulness and regret.

That bit of news lifted my hopes and got me to thinking that maybe Phaganax's attitude would change about me.

Kara was truly grateful. I never thought that a raptor could nuzzle me so much as she did when she came to visit me one day. She told me that I had the courage and true nature of a raptor. She also added that even though I was ugly, I was beautiful. And that I showed that I could be trusted.

I didn't know if I should have felt honored...or a little insulted.

Kara reassured me that Phaganax would come around and eventually thank me for saving their eggs from the black stripes. Though I doubted it.

One afternoon while I was working on the jeep, Tholestes came by to scent mark. And he wasn't alone. Phaganax was with him.

This surprised me.

Phaganax had never come to the village before. Especially to see me.

I was at that moment fixing some part of the engine under the hood when he came up with Tholestes by his side.

I got up slowly, turned to him, and respectably bowed while on one knee, the raptors sign of submission.

Phaganax gave a soft grunt and touched my forehead with the tip of his snout, just like Kara did to me. I took out my translator device, turned it on, and got back up.

"I'm a little surprised that you would come here to the village to see me, Phaganax." I said. "Is something wrong?"

"Not really," He said, scratching at a spot along his snout. "I just came by to...thank you for bringing back my and Kara's eggs. I heard from Tholestes that you even risked your own life to save them from Darger and the other black stripes. In all my days, I never thought that a mere human would risk it's own life for a pair of raptor eggs."

I smiled a little before continuing, "Well, I couldn't just leave them there, Phaganax. Darger said so himself that he planed on hatching the eggs and integrating the newborns into his pack."

Growling a little, Phaganax bared his teeth. "He said that?"

I nodded. "Yes. And there is more, Phaganax. But it won't easy to hear."

Phaganax stopped growling so that he could listen.

"When I first met Darger, he told me that it was him who did it."

"Did what?" Asked Phaganax.

"Him that killed your mother. Sorsha."

There was a long pause. I could feel Phaganax looking at me with an unusual stare you could get from a raptor. The stare of uncertainty.

"Is it true of what he said to you, Josiah?" Phaganax said.

"It is, Phaganax," I said, wiping my hands and sitting down on a stool beside the jeep and looking serious. "Darger told me everything. Told me how your mother refused to be his mate, and that he took her life because of it. He said that if Sorsha was not going to be his, then she was not going to anyone's. And then he killed her during the pack's escape from the keepers when that huge storm hit the island. When the rains along with the storm came, it washed away Darger's scent off your mother's body so that not even you or Sandar would know it was him."

"I see," Phaganax said, his expression clearing. "And he told you this himself?"

I nodded. "He did."

For while Phaganax didn't know what to say. He turned away from me, his eyes closed. He tipped his head back and let out a hissing sigh.

"So, it's all true," Phaganax said finally. "He killed my mother, not the keepers. All this time it was him..."

He then turned to me. "You did well, hum...I mean, Josiah. Thank you for telling me this. Thank you for telling me the truth about my mother. I hope that you can find it within yourself to forgive a doubting fool for misjudging you."

I placed a hand on Phaganax's shoulder. "Not at all, alpha Phaganax. Right now your unhatched eggs and Kara need you back at the nest to watch over them. I'll be fine for the time being. I don't think that Darger will try anything again. I sealed and barricaded the church as much as possible for the time being, but I don't know if Tholestes' scent is strong enough to keep them away."

Phaganax nodded in agreement. "You're right about that. For the time being I think it's best that you stay within the boundaries of the village. And I'll have a sentry posted here around the village from time to time."

He was about to turn and leave when I said, "Phaganax,"

"Yes?"

"When I was in the black stripe's territory, inside the compound were I was held, I noticed that the young and older raptors were malnourished and looked rather thin. Pava told me it was because the herds don't pass near the tall grass where they use to hunt for prey anymore."

"Really?" Phaganax growled softly. "Then my hunch was right. Darger is losing his hold over his own pack. Because he lets the inexperienced members of his pack hunt for mere pleasure and not food, the females can hardly feed their chicks or themselves. And now that he has moved to a new part of the jungle where prey is limited, he's trying to take over my pack's territory."

An exceedingly nail-biting silence followed his words.

I shifted uneasily on my stool and said, "So what do you plan to do about it, Phaganax?"

He gave it some thought and said, "I can't risk my pack going to war. Kara is right about that. But I will not let my pack's territory be invaded and taken over by the black stripes. But if Darger comes looking for a fight, then by the great carnivores before me, he'll get one. He'll pay dearly for killing my mother." He turned to face me. "I thank you, Josiah, for saving my and Kara's eggs, but that does not mean that I have changed my views about humans."

I had anticipated that he might say that. "I understand, Phaganax."

"But I can change my view about you. You've proven to me that some humans can be trusted, Josiah. You in particular.

You are not like the keepers who once held us in cages. And while I kept a mistrusting view of you during your stay here on the island, you never once said anything about it."

"You had every right to mistrust me, Phaganax. " I said, getting up from my stool and wiping my hands again. And I knew that much was true. "After what the humans here on the island did to you and your kind, I wouldn't blame you for it at all."

Phaganax shook his head. "That's all in the past, young one. Now I must go. Kara needs me back at the nest."

He turned and sped off into the jungle.

I went back to the church and got cleaned up. The sun hadn't set yet but I had no intention of staying outside any longer then I should. Phaganax was right. I had to keep myself within the boundaries of the village. I knew that this would probably keep me from documenting the dinosaurs, but I didn't feel to bad about it. I could still film and document some of the village to pass the time.

The days following into August were long. During my third week on the island my food supply had run out. The canned stuff and trail mix had gone and the only things left were the foods that needed to be cooked or heated. The only problems was I couldn't risk cooking anything within the church or outside. The smell of cooking food and the smoke would attract a lot of unwanted attention.

So, with no other options, I decided it was time to hunt for food the old fashioned way.

With a good-old spear.

:

:


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: More Precious than the Law**

:

 **Josiah's POV-**

Using a spear wasn't as hard as it looked. But hunting was a little bit difficult for me. I had never really used a spear for hunting before in my life.

Tholestes and Fern were also a little sceptical that a human could hunt with a spear. But I had some confidence that I could pull it off.

Spear hunting wasn't as easy as I thought it would be at first. My first targets were Compys but they were tricky to hit. Tholestes told me himself that at a young age he and his brother had to learn to know how to hunt by hunting Compys as practice for when they got older.

The end of my third week on the island was coming up since it was Saturday. During the rest of the morning and afternoon I practiced with my spear. It wasn't as hard to throw and the handling was good. It was my aim and hitting a target that was the problem. No matter what I did I couldn't seem to hit where I wanted to.

But I wouldn't give up.

By Sunday afternoon the next day, I was well on my way to mastering my spear. I learned that if I aimed carefully at an angle that was just right, I could hit my targets with almost pinpoint efficiency. Tholestes was impressed by my progress and so was Fern. Terias often watched but I paid him no mind.

Phaganax also came to visit me during his spare time. He would sometimes complement me that I was good at throwing my spear.

That made me smile a little at the alpha raptor. When I had first come to the island and had stayed at the worker village, I thought for sure that Phaganax would kill me in my sleep if I gave him the chance. But now he seemed to tolerate me and to accept me. But did he accept me as a friend or not? That was the question.

I spend the rest of the weekend filming the village and taking down more notes in my journal about the island and it's ecosystem. I checked the buildings in and around the perimeter again for anything that could be useful to put in my journal and to take back to the mainland. When Monday had come on the start of my second week on the island, I had to stock-up on food and store it in the church for when I needed it. Now that I had exercised my body and had built up my metabolism, I had to be careful on food consumption. The last thing I needed was to over-stuff myself and become slow and inactive.

On Tuesday morning while out in my jeep to film the raptors hunt, I spotted Tholestes and Fern together with the pack on the edge of a small ridge that went off into a bowl-shaped valley. I got out of the jeep and approached Tholestes.

"Tholestes, what's going on?" I said, standing a little a ways from Terias.

Tholestes turned to me and growled lightly. "There is a hard of Thumb-spikes down there in the valley, Josiah. Kara and Phaganax haven't given the signal yet to attack. If we don't move now and take the sentry by surprise, the herd will move on out of the valley."

I looked into the valley and saw a small herd of animals. They were Iguanodons. They were the size of a tyrannosaur and looked like they had plenty of meat on them to feed the pack for at least a week or two. But they didn't come unharmed. They had huge spikes on their hands that looked like nasty cone party hats.

Right now the herd was grazing and didn't even know that they were being hunted by the raptors.

I turned to Tholestes and frowned a little. "So what do you have to do?"

"When Phaganax or Kara give the signal, I have to go down into the valley alone and stay upwind of the herd. The high grass will hide me from their view."

"But what about your scent?" I said, sounding a little worried. "won't they smell you coming if you get close to them?"

Tholestes chirped amusingly. "That's the whole idea, Josiah. The herd is on the far side of the valley, but this jungle trail we are standing on right now is the only way in or out. So it won't mater if they smell me or not."

I took another look at the valley. Tholestes was right. The west and east side of the valley were surrounded by thick trees. There was no way that the herd was going to escape.

"When the scout smells me coming, I must keep it busy so the rest of the pack can come on into the valley to take it down."

I let out a breath. "That sounds dangerous. What about Fern and your brother?"

"They are on reserve," Said Sandar, coming up beside Tholestes and turning to me. "They need to stay with me and wait for the right moment to attack the scout just in case he tries to escape out of the valley."

I heard Terias groan irritably. Sandar turned to him and gave him a look.

"What was that, grandson? Are you objecting?"

Terias stammered, "Huh? N-no, grandfather."

"Good," Sandar snorted. "because we need to cut off the scout's retreat in case anything goes wrong with the hunt."

I watched as Sandar went over to the ridge and crouched down among the tall grass. Fern and Terias did the same. Only Tholestes remained where he was.

"The rest of the pack is already in position among the trees around the valley, Josiah," Said Tholestes. "It is a high honor for my sister to be apart of the hunt for the first time. But Terias... I'm not sure about him. He is too inpatient. He wants to hunt with the adults but he's not old enough."

I nodded my head in agreement. "Just hope that he doesn't do anything stupid, Tholestes. He maybe young and inexperienced, but he is not strong enough to take down prey like you or your grandfather."

I turned and went back to the jeep to get the camera and tripod. I wanted this opportunity to film as much as the raptors hunting as possible. I setup my camera and tripod away from the jungle trail so it wouldn't be smashed by the dinosaurs. I chose a spot by some trees near the ridge and setup my stuff there.

I was out of the way of the raptors hunt and out of harms way from what might come at me should the hunt turn sour.

I didn't have to wait long for the pack to make their move. then, from somewhere in the distance, I heard a raptor call.

This was it. It was time to film. I turned on the camera and pointed it down into the valley. The hunt was on.

 **Tholestes POV-**

I had gone down into the valley and huddled down within the high grass. The sentry didn't even spot me as I approached. I maneuvered my way around the thumb-spike, keeping my body as low as possible within the grass. The thing about the thumb-spikes is that they had bad eyesight when spotting danger from a distance. Their sense of smell was another matter. But this wasn't about staying upwind. I had to get the sentry's attention and chase it toward the pack to finish it off.

I stood up out of the grass to my full height and let out a screech.

The sentry turned around quick, saw me, and let out a an alarmed bellow. The rest of the herd looked up from their grazing, honking in alarm and fear. They huddled together to protect the young on the inside of their massive bodies. I ignored them and kept my concentration on the sentry in front of me.

I had to get it to run in the opposite direction toward the jungle trial. Once it got near where my grandfather and Fern were hiding, they would be able to leap onto it and weaken it. Then the rest of the pack would follow right behind.

I swiped at the thumb-spike with my claws and screeched at it again, trying to turn it around to face the direction of the jungle trail. It reluctantly turned and ran, honking in fright. I followed close behind, snarling and snapping at it's legs but careful not to get trampled in the process.

Thumb-spikes were brainless fools. They would cowardly abandon their fellow herd members just to save themselves if given the chance. But they were tough prey to take down.

The plan was going well so far. The thumb-spike was heading right into the trap.

But right before the thumb-spike got onto the path, Terias leaped out of his heading space and jumped onto the thumb-spike's throat.

That fool! What was my brother doing?!

Terias bit down hard on the thumb-spike, drawing blood from it's neck. The thumb-spike bellowed in anger rather then in pain. It thrashed it's head violently to try and get my brother off of him. Terias wouldn't let go. His killing claws were dug in deep into the flesh of the neck of the thumb-spike.

"Terias, let go of it!" I screeched.

But Terias didn't let go. He clung on and bit down even harder then before, snarling through his clenched teeth.

The thumb-spike, irritated by my brother's attack, ran up the trail, past my grandfather and Fern's position, and disappeared into the jungle.

No!"

I looked up in time to see Kara swiftly run after the two of them, the rest of the pack following close behind. I joined them and soon we were all running to catch up with the thumb-spike and my brother.

Kara led the pack and had them fan out to try and cut off the thumb-spike's retreat before it reached the rocky cliffs on the high hills.

I stayed behind to wait for my grandfather and sister to catch up. My grandfather wasn't as swift as he use to be and his age was starting to slow him up. If it hadn't been for the my brother's stupidity and inpatients, our grandfather and Fern would have cut off the thumb-spike's retreat out of the valley.

We pursued the thumb-spike uphill and across the stretch of rocky terrain that led to...oh, no.

"Terias, get off that thumb-spike now!" I screeched again, racing past the pack to get to him.

There was a cliff up ahead. And they were heading right for it. If Terias didn't get off that thumb-spike now they would both fall over the edge.

But my brother wouldn't give up. The thumb-spike reached the edge of the cliff and shook Terias off of him. My brother landed on his feet, panting. I saw blood around the rim of his snout and jaws. The thumb-spike snorted in anger and swiped it's claw at Terias. My brother jumped back, avoiding the deadly spike.

Wanting to finish this quickly, Terias leaped at the thumb-spike's throat one more time, snarling. His teeth sank into the thumb-spike's throat, blood spewing in the air. The dinosaur bellowed in pain even loader then before and rose upon it's back legs. It thrashed it's body backward toward the cliff.

"Terias, watch out!" Fern cried.

The thumb-spike lost it's balance and toppled over the edge, and I looked on in horror as Terias went with it. Both disappeared from sight and I heard a crashing sound followed by the thud of a body. I heard a gentle moan. Then silence.

I went over to the edge of the cliff and looked down. A cloud of dust was in the air from where the body landed. When it settled I saw the thumb-spike on it's side. It was dead. But where was Terias?

Fern came up beside me and gave me a worried look and then looked down at the thumb-spike.

"Terias, where are you?" I called, scanning the ground.

My brother suddenly appeared beside the body and placed a hind-foot on it's neck. He growled triumphantly and looked up at me and Fern.

"Ha, ha, I got him!"

Fern and I skidded down the steep hill and joined him, standing on the opposite side of the downed thumb-spike.

"I can't believe it, big brother. Terias really did it." Said Fern in admiration, looking at the body.

Terias smiled. "Yep,"

But I was less then happy. And so was Kara and Phaganax.

"That was very foolish, young raptor. You could have ruined the hunt for all of us!" Phaganax said with an berating growl.

Kara added, "You can't just act alone like that in a hunt, do you understand?"

Fern looked up at Kara. "Don't be angry, alpha Kara, it all worked out all right in the end, didn't it?"

Sandar gave her a stern look and then turned to Terias.

"Grandson, when we get back to the ne-"

He didn't get a chance to finish. At that very moment the Thumb-spike started to get back up.

I knew the fall hadn't been enough to kill it. It was only stunned when it had fallen.

The thumb-spike got to it's feet, breathing angrily. It turned it's attention to my sister, raising it's spike to strike and kill her. I didn't have time to get to her before it was too late.

But Terias did.

"Fern, look out!" He cried. He leaped for the thumb-spike's head and tried to bite it but he missed. The thumb-spike's spike came down and struck Terias in the leg with a sickening sound. Terias let a howl of pain and fell to the ground near Fern. The injured thumb-spike then turned and ran. The other pack members sped down the hill and gave chase, determined not to let it get away.

Terias lifted his head and turned toward the retreating pack, a look of pain on his face.

"I can't believe it. I was sure I had him." He hissed.

He got to his feet and was about to go after the pack, when Phaganax stepped into his way.

"Terias, that's enough," He said, sounding angry. "Your selfish actions may have ruined our plans. You are not ready to hunt with the pack."

His words stung my brother deeply. Letting out another pained growl, Terias turned and limped away.

"Terias, wait," I said, looking down upon his wounded leg which was now bleeding, leaving a trail of it as he walked.

But my brother ignored me and continued walking until he was out of sight.

I was about to go after him when Kara stopped me with a sharp hiss.

"Tholestes, we still got work to do. We need to get that thumb-spike now before it tries to get back to it's herd."

She then turned and sped away into the jungle, with Phaganax right behind her.

I let out a sigh and followed after them.

I just hoped to the great dinosaurs that my brother was okay.

 **Josiah's POV-**

I had gotten what I needed for my documentary. Not the whole hunt, but just enough to show the hunting behavior of a raptor ambushing it's prey.

The actual hunt and chase I was unable to film because the Iguanodon had

sped right past me and my camera's view. But I did see Terias jump upon the dinosaur's neck and try and bring it down. What was that raptor thinking? That wasn't part of the plan.

Deciding not to overstay my welcome at the valley, I got everything packed up into the jeep and drove back to the village. After I unpacked my stuff in the church and put away my camera, I payed a visit to the raptor nest to see if the pack had caught the dinosaur and had dragged back to the nest.

But when I arrived, there were hardly anyone there. A few raptors were sitting on nests on what was left of their eggs. Guess the pack didn't return yet.

I turned to leave but stopped. I saw Terias over by a small hill that situated near the nests. Curious, I walked over to him. He didn't notice me and it seemed like he was limping. He crouched down and went inside a medium sized hole that was dug on the outside of the hill. A cave or a den by the looks of it.

Terias disappeared inside and I decided that maybe I should leave him alone. I did, however, notice a blood trial leading toward his cave from the nesting site. Was that...his blood?

:

Evening came to the jungle and the sun had just about set behind the trees.

I checked over the film footage in the camera in the church's kitchen, fixing a few things here and there to make sure nothing was out of focus.

After I was done and was about to turn in, I heard a scratching at the front doors. I tensed. Was it one of the black stripes?

I picked up my spear and went over to the doors, weapon ready just in case.

I opened the unblocked door and peered out. Fern was standing on the porch, the look of worry on her face as she panted.

"Fern, what's the matter?" I said, setting down the spear.

"It's Terias, Josiah," She panted. "There is something wrong with him. He hasn't come out of his den since the hunt and I'm worried that he could be..."

I didn't let her finish. I walked past her, closed the door, and ran in the direction of the nest. Fern caught up with me within a second and led the way.

When we got to the nests, I saw Sandar and Tholestes waiting by the hill where Terias was. Both had worried looks upon their faces.

"Tholestes, what's happened?"

Tholestes nodded toward the entrance of the den. I knelt down and looked inside. Because it was dark, I couldn't see very well. But I could make out some movement.

"Terias, are you okay?" I said, trying to get him to answer. "Terias?"

"He's been like that ever since we got back from the hunt, human." Sandar said. "He hasn't even touched the meat we left for him at the entrance of his den."

Looking down, I spotted a hunk of meat on the ground that was now covered in flies.

"Fern told me that Terias didn't even speak to her," Said Tholestes. "When I saw a trail of his blood leading toward the nest, I assumed the worse."

I turned to Sandar. "But what's wrong with him?"

"It's his wounded leg," Sandar said gravely. "It hasn't healed properly. And judging by the smell of blood in there, I'd say that I was right. Terias should have had it cleaned in the stream right when he got back to the nests. But he didn't."

Tholestes turned to me. "If he doesn't get that wound healed soon, he could lose that leg. And in our pack there is no room for crippled raptor."

I heard Terias whimper and moan in pain within the cave.

"So why haven't you helped him yet?" I said, my voice almost breaking from the sounds of Terias' moans.

"He broke the rule of the pack," Said Sandar firmly. "He broke rank and tried to take down the thumb-spike that we were hunting by himself, ruining our surprise attack in the process. As an omega, he is not given help from the pack. Or from us."

I looked back and fourth from the den to Sandar. "You can't be serious, right?" I said.

Sandar growled low. "I am, human," he said. "Terias' injured leg is his own undoing. Phaganax even told the pack that no one is to help him or they would be breaking the law of the pack themselves."

"But..." I stuttered, trying to argue back. "But we can't just leave him like this."

"My grandson broke the law of the pack. He must pay for his mistake."

I turned away and growled in frustration. I clenched my fists. I turned to Tholestes for support. But Tholestes didn't say anything. He turned his head away from me, avoiding my gaze.

I let out a disgruntled huff, got to my feet, and walked away from the three raptors.

"Wait," Sandar called after me. "Hu..I mean Josiah, if we brake the law of the pack, we must be the ones who leave too. Understand this, Josiah, I care for my grandson just as much as my own two grandchildren. But alpha Phaganax and Kara have given their commends to the pack and to us as well. We have to obey the law."

I turned around and said with as much conviction in my voice, "The law of the raptors don't apply to me, Sandar."

I then ran off, heading back to the village.

I didn't know how I had gotten back to the village and back into the church without realizing that I was panting. My heart and my mind were racing all together as I went to the kitchen sink to wash my face.

After several dunks under the faucet, I dried my face with a towel and went upstairs to the attic. The sun had completely set now. The sky was dark and absent of any stars. Just as well. I was not in a cherry mood. I went to bed early without even brushing my teeth!

My thoughts still ran as I slept. Though sleeping was not easy. And jungle noise outside didn't help much.

Tomorrow, in the morning, I would figure out a way to help Terias. His life, though not Kara or Phaganax's concern, was now trouble. The least I could do was help in anyway I can. Screw the rules about not interfering with the wildlife! Terias' life was on the line.

And it was more precious then the law of the raptors.

:

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	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 17: Lair of the Ghost-eye**

 **:**

 **Josiah's POV-**

Friday came at last before the rains had finally stopped again.

The church had become sort of damp and I was forced to air out my attic because I always felt like I was sleeping in a wet and stuffy room.

Terias was doing fine. His leg had healed almost completely over the last two days since he got injured. Though he still had some limping whenever he walked around.

I got to thinking that Terias was sort of like Zephyr in a way. Only this time I was going to keep him safe. No way was I going to let that little raptor be the victim of the black stripes.

Tholestes and Fern brought food whenever Terias felt hungry and I removed the bones and leftovers when he was finished. No sense in having bones laying around in the kitchen.

I never really understood what sort of species of raptor Tholestes and Terias were at first. I thought that they were some sort of mutated Deinonychus, but that couldn't be right. Then I read in the journal's notes and found that they were called _**Velociraptor antirrhopus sornaensis**_ _._

I found the name kind of weird. What kind of name is that for a Velociraptor?

All names aside, I continued the day cleaning up the church. The rains had really dampened the place in several areas. The kitchen was fine because it was in the innards of the church to the left. The offices I didn't bother to clean. They were already a mess. The attic were I slept was my real problem because the old wood could no longer keep back the water from leaking on my sleeping-bag. I would have to find another room to sleep in for now.

I was lucky enough one evening to find a private computer room on the right side on the second floor that seemed to be hidden behind an empty bookshelf.

The trick to open the door, I had found out by accident, was to find the light-green book sticking out of the lower third shelf and pulling it forward to unlock the door. Nifty.

The room I found was small and the ceiling above my head sloped downward at an angle toward the single window.

There was a desk with a dusty office chair to one side of the room and an old shelf with books. This area hadn't been picked clean my any Ingen staff because there was still a few items left on a shelf. And since this place was not touched by the weather or years of being left alone, there were hardly any cobwebs or dust buildup.

This secret room was definitely for me.

I moved out of the attic and put all my things in the room. It was comfy and just the right size for me. Plus, there was no crack at the bottom of the door that showed any indication that there was a room. Sweet!

So, that was everything I needed.

I let out a long, slow breath and stared up at the brilliant blue sky which was now beginning to darken into evening. This truly was a magnificent island. In some way, it was beautiful and tranquil. In another, it was dangerous and full surprises just waiting to catch a person off-guard.

I closed my eyes against the now blazing evening sky as the wind picked up and blew a gust of warm air on my face.

With evening coming it was time to turn in.

But I couldn't just yet.

I wanted to take some more pictures of the inside of the communications building. It was still light outside and the building still had some light bulbs in it that still worked.

Well, I knew that I wouldn't be caught in the dark without my flashlight, so I decided to go.

I walked down the street, past the old empty stores, and made my way into the building. The sun was beginning to set just behind the trees, casting shadows across the village and empty streets.

I took out my camera and started taking pictures of the hallways and empty offices that still showed some light from outside.

Tomorrow, I would have to think of some fresh way of taking more photos of the island.

In the meantime, I had nothing to look forward to but another restless, disturbed night, because even if I had the secret room, the insects and the jungle noises still bothered me. Also, there was a new sound at night that really bothered me. It was a dinosaur noise that sounded like a loud, haunting, guttural screeching like a dolphin or a Yellowstone elk.

Whatever it was, it sounded far away. But each night it got closer and closer to the village and I was worried. More so because the sound was always joined by others. This meant that it was not just a single animal out there. There was a group of them. Which meant that these were pack animals.

The thought sent a shiver up my spine and to the top of my head, making my hair almost stand right up.

I passed by a corridor, went down it and came to another series of empty rooms which were messy and filled with cobwebs and ivy. It was darker here because the rooms were inside the building rather then where the light could reach them. I took picture after picture of the rooms and was about to head out, when I saw a door at the end of the corridor with a sign on it that read, _**'Communications subbasement: LV1'**_.

A subbasement?

What was that doing here in the communications building?

Curious, I took out my flashlight, turned it on, and walked forward toward the door. It was rusty and covered in ivy from the outside. I noticed that the door was ajar and saw that ferns and ivy and age had made the door prop open. This sort of door needed a key card to get in, but that was no longer needed in this case.

I opened the door and stepped onto a metal platform with railings. The platform itself was narrow and slightly shook as I stepped forward with my flashlight.

Good thing this flashlight was a _Defiant UV LED Flashlight_. This type of flashlight had very bright beams of three different lights; Bright, very bright, and flashing signal bright. Right now I just had it on normal bright so that I could see where I was going.

The platform led toward some stairs that went down to the ground floor of the subbasement. I went down them.

All the while I kept my other hand on my rifle. Who knew what was down here lurking in the dark.

I reached the bottom of the stairs and arrived at a small landing that led down to a larger room. I Shawn the light down the corridor and went down it.

I stopped halfway and wrinkled my nose in disgust. There was a foul smell like the jungle and rotting leaves that permeated the still air of the basement. It seemed to be coming from up ahead from the next room. I continued on and came upon a small box on the wall. It looked like a fuse box for the lights. I opened it, brushing away a nasty spider, and tried the control switch. At first nothing happened. Then there was a series of dull flashes along the ceiling of the corridor. The overhead lights were turning on. They weren't bright like my flashlight, but they did illuminate the hallway and all the way to the upper floor to the platform.

Good thing I had the foresight to turn on the power after I came into the building.

I went on to the room ahead, opened the door and went inside.

And I wish to god that I hadn't.

The door opened to a room that was square-shaped and had two, large open ventilation shafts on the floor that led to who knows where. The foul smell was stronger here because it was coming from two individual nests. But it wasn't the nasty smell from the room that was so horrific.

It was the half covered bodies in the nests that made me step back in horror.

Even with the dim light in the room, I could see them clearly.

There were two human bodies that were twisted and crooked, limbs coiled up. The torsos of both of them were torn wide open, covered within the derelict nests.

The bodies were old and rotted. But the smell coming from them was vicious and alive.

Something from the journal kicked-started me in the back of my head as I remembered something about a dinosaur doing this kind of thing. This nest behavior was not that of a raptor or compy. It was something worse then both of them. But what could have done this?

I took a closer look at one of the bodies and saw that this one had a familiar grey vest and dark blue long-sleeved button-up shirt.

"Greg," I muttered, taking a step back because of the smell.

Yep, it was Greg alright.

Greg Ganwick's body was mangled the worst, the thin face now bloated and red-like. His long legs were torn and bitten clean through to the bone.

His hands and fingers were nibbled clean off by what ever it was that killed him. Holding my breath, I parted the leaves coating his body to inspect the torn open abdomen. Inside, nestled in the bloodied and warm guts of the man from Ingen, were several white oval shaped items. Eggs.

"Shit," I swore at loud.

I had never seen this type of animal behavior before. Not from any of the dinosaurs here on the island. Not even the raptors did this. Discovery channel didn't cover this kind of shit either.

What kind of dinosaur did this?

I got my answer in two forms.

The first was a clacking and scuffling coming from within the vents. Muffled clicking and warbling could also be made out.

I shuffled quickly away from the nests, backing away toward the door.

Something was coming out of the two vents in the room.

And then I saw something emerge from the vents.

And I felt my blood run cold with fright as the hair on my head stood up.

Two grayish animals with blood red necks and inky black splotches running the course of their backs came into the room. Quills ran the length of their backs as well. The most prominent feature was that they each had a pair of big yellow eyes on their heads.

The dinosaurs slowly began creeping forward, tracing my backward steps as I moved back toward the door. They both emitted eerie clicking noises as they moved and bobbed their heads.

Then, without warning, one of the dinosaurs rushed forward toward me, it's claws out and jaws open.

"SHIT!" I yelled, and rushed out of the room and ran as fast as I could.

If this thing was a theropod, then there was no way I could possibly outrun it in time before it got me.

I turned around and saw that the animal had stopped in it's tracks, screeching and backing away from the lights on the ceiling.

I stopped as well and turned around to face the dinosaur. In the thin light of the hall I could see the dinosaur more clearly. It was a theropod alright. And it had the killing claw of a raptor, too.

The animal staggered back into the darkness of the room, shaking it's head and hissing in anger. It's partner did the same. I only saw their eyes that were glowing yellowish white in the darkness of the doorway but it was enough to unnerve me.

 _'Creepy,'_ I thought as I moved toward the stairs, my rifle armed and ready in case the dinosaur tried to attack. _'damn creepy.'_

When I reached the stairs at last, and made it to the platform as well, I got out of that hellhole as fast as I could and slammed the door behind me. There was an electronic 'click' as the door locked itself.

I let out a long, exhausted breath and slumped down on the dirty floor of the communications building hallway.

That was damn scary, even for me. I thanked God that the dim lights down there had saved me. If I had not turned them on...

I got up and walked out of the building and quickly made my way back to the church.

I didn't feel safe until I was back inside my secret room on the second floor and on my sleeping bag.

I then realized what the dinosaurs were as soon as I put my head on my pillow.

They were the _ghost-eye_. The most feared dinosaur on the island and the raptors most feared enemy.

But they were called by another name. A name I had found in the pages of the journal and had just remembered. They were called Troodon Pectinodon. The ' _fantasma de ojos'_.

:

:


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: Lair of the Ghost-eye**

 **:**

 **Josiah's POV-**

Friday came at last before the rains had finally stopped again.

The church had become sort of damp and I was forced to air out my attic because I always felt like I was sleeping in a wet and stuffy room.

Terias was doing fine. His leg had healed almost completely over the last two days since he got injured. Though he still had some limping whenever he walked around.

I got to thinking that Terias was sort of like Zephyr in a way. Only this time I was going to keep him safe. No way was I going to let that little raptor be the victim of the black stripes.

Tholestes and Fern brought food whenever Terias felt hungry and I removed the bones and leftovers when he was finished. No sense in having bones laying around in the kitchen.

I never really understood what sort of species of raptor Tholestes and Terias were at first. I thought that they were some sort of mutated Deinonychus, but that couldn't be right. Then I read in the journal's notes and found that they were called _**Velociraptor antirrhopus sornaensis**_ _._

I found the name kind of weird. What kind of name is that for a Velociraptor?

All names aside, I continued the day cleaning up the church. The rains had really dampened the place in several areas. The kitchen was fine because it was in the innards of the church to the left. The offices I didn't bother to clean. They were already a mess. The attic were I slept was my real problem because the old wood could no longer keep back the water from leaking on my sleeping-bag. I would have to find another room to sleep in for now.

I was lucky enough one evening to find a private computer room on the right side on the second floor that seemed to be hidden behind an empty bookshelf.

The trick to open the door, I had found out by accident, was to find the light-green book sticking out of the lower third shelf and pulling it forward to unlock the door. Nifty.

The room I found was small and the ceiling above my head sloped downward at an angle toward the single window.

There was a desk with a dusty office chair to one side of the room and an old shelf with books. This area hadn't been picked clean my any Ingen staff because there was still a few items left on a shelf. And since this place was not touched by the weather or years of being left alone, there were hardly any cobwebs or dust buildup.

This secret room was definitely for me.

I moved out of the attic and put all my things in the room. It was comfy and just the right size for me. Plus, there was no crack at the bottom of the door that showed any indication that there was a room. Sweet!

So, that was everything I needed.

I let out a long, slow breath and stared up at the brilliant blue sky which was now beginning to darken into evening. This truly was a magnificent island. In some way, it was beautiful and tranquil. In another, it was dangerous and full surprises just waiting to catch a person off-guard.

I closed my eyes against the now blazing evening sky as the wind picked up and blew a gust of warm air on my face.

With evening coming it was time to turn in.

But I couldn't just yet.

I wanted to take some more pictures of the inside of the communications building. It was still light outside and the building still had some light bulbs in it that still worked.

Well, I knew that I wouldn't be caught in the dark without my flashlight, so I decided to go.

I walked down the street, past the old empty stores, and made my way into the building. The sun was beginning to set just behind the trees, casting shadows across the village and empty streets.

I took out my camera and started taking pictures of the hallways and empty offices that still showed some light from outside.

Tomorrow, I would have to think of some fresh way of taking more photos of the island.

In the meantime, I had nothing to look forward to but another restless, disturbed night, because even if I had the secret room, the insects and the jungle noises still bothered me. Also, there was a new sound at night that really bothered me. It was a dinosaur noise that sounded like a loud, haunting, guttural screeching like a dolphin or a Yellowstone elk.

Whatever it was, it sounded far away. But each night it got closer and closer to the village and I was worried. More so because the sound was always joined by others. This meant that it was not just a single animal out there. There was a group of them. Which meant that these were pack animals.

The thought sent a shiver up my spine and to the top of my head, making my hair almost stand right up.

I passed by a corridor, went down it and came to another series of empty rooms which were messy and filled with cobwebs and ivy. It was darker here because the rooms were inside the building rather then where the light could reach them. I took picture after picture of the rooms and was about to head out, when I saw a door at the end of the corridor with a sign on it that read, _**'Communications subbasement: LV1'**_.

A subbasement?

What was that doing here in the communications building?

Curious, I took out my flashlight, turned it on, and walked forward toward the door. It was rusty and covered in ivy from the outside. I noticed that the door was ajar and saw that ferns and ivy and age had made the door prop open. This sort of door needed a key card to get in, but that was no longer needed in this case.

I opened the door and stepped onto a metal platform with railings. The platform itself was narrow and slightly shook as I stepped forward with my flashlight.

Good thing this flashlight was a _Defiant UV LED Flashlight_. This type of flashlight had very bright beams of three different lights; Bright, very bright, and flashing signal bright. Right now I just had it on normal bright so that I could see where I was going.

The platform led toward some stairs that went down to the ground floor of the subbasement. I went down them.

All the while I kept my other hand on my rifle. Who knew what was down here lurking in the dark.

I reached the bottom of the stairs and arrived at a small landing that led down to a larger room. I Shawn the light down the corridor and went down it.

I stopped halfway and wrinkled my nose in disgust. There was a foul smell like the jungle and rotting leaves that permeated the still air of the basement. It seemed to be coming from up ahead from the next room. I continued on and came upon a small box on the wall. It looked like a fuse box for the lights. I opened it, brushing away a nasty spider, and tried the control switch. At first nothing happened. Then there was a series of dull flashes along the ceiling of the corridor. The overhead lights were turning on. They weren't bright like my flashlight, but they did illuminate the hallway and all the way to the upper floor to the platform.

Good thing I had the foresight to turn on the power after I came into the building.

I went on to the room ahead, opened the door and went inside.

And I wish to god that I hadn't.

The door opened to a room that was square-shaped and had two, large open ventilation shafts on the floor that led to who knows where. The foul smell was stronger here because it was coming from two individual nests. But it wasn't the nasty smell from the room that was so horrific.

It was the half covered bodies in the nests that made me step back in horror.

Even with the dim light in the room, I could see them clearly.

There were two human bodies that were twisted and crooked, limbs coiled up. The torsos of both of them were torn wide open, covered within the derelict nests.

The bodies were old and rotted. But the smell coming from them was vicious and alive.

Something from the journal kicked-started me in the back of my head as I remembered something about a dinosaur doing this kind of thing. This nest behavior was not that of a raptor or compy. It was something worse then both of them. But what could have done this?

I took a closer look at one of the bodies and saw that this one had a familiar grey vest and dark blue long-sleeved button-up shirt.

"Greg," I muttered, taking a step back because of the smell.

Yep, it was Greg alright.

Greg Ganwick's body was mangled the worst, the thin face now bloated and red-like. His long legs were torn and bitten clean through to the bone.

His hands and fingers were nibbled clean off by what ever it was that killed him. Holding my breath, I parted the leaves coating his body to inspect the torn open abdomen. Inside, nestled in the bloodied and warm guts of the man from Ingen, were several white oval shaped items. Eggs.

"Shit," I swore at loud.

I had never seen this type of animal behavior before. Not from any of the dinosaurs here on the island. Not even the raptors did this. Discovery channel didn't cover this kind of shit either.

What kind of dinosaur did this?

I got my answer in two forms.

The first was a clacking and scuffling coming from within the vents. Muffled clicking and warbling could also be made out.

I shuffled quickly away from the nests, backing away toward the door.

Something was coming out of the two vents in the room.

And then I saw something emerge from the vents.

And I felt my blood run cold with fright as the hair on my head stood up.

Two grayish animals with blood red necks and inky black splotches running the course of their backs came into the room. Quills ran the length of their backs as well. The most prominent feature was that they each had a pair of big yellow eyes on their heads.

The dinosaurs slowly began creeping forward, tracing my backward steps as I moved back toward the door. They both emitted eerie clicking noises as they moved and bobbed their heads.

Then, without warning, one of the dinosaurs rushed forward toward me, it's claws out and jaws open.

"SHIT!" I yelled, and rushed out of the room and ran as fast as I could.

If this thing was a theropod, then there was no way I could possibly outrun it in time before it got me.

I turned around and saw that the animal had stopped in it's tracks, screeching and backing away from the lights on the ceiling.

I stopped as well and turned around to face the dinosaur. In the thin light of the hall I could see the dinosaur more clearly. It was a theropod alright. And it had the killing claw of a raptor, too.

The animal staggered back into the darkness of the room, shaking it's head and hissing in anger. It's partner did the same. I only saw their eyes that were glowing yellowish white in the darkness of the doorway but it was enough to unnerve me.

 _'Creepy,'_ I thought as I moved toward the stairs, my rifle armed and ready in case the dinosaur tried to attack. _'damn creepy.'_

When I reached the stairs at last, and made it to the platform as well, I got out of that hellhole as fast as I could and slammed the door behind me. There was an electronic 'click' as the door locked itself.

I let out a long, exhausted breath and slumped down on the dirty floor of the communications building hallway.

That was damn scary, even for me. I thanked God that the dim lights down there had saved me. If I had not turned them on...

I got up and walked out of the building and quickly made my way back to the church.

I didn't feel safe until I was back inside my secret room on the second floor and on my sleeping bag.

I then realized what the dinosaurs were as soon as I put my head on my pillow.

They were the _ghost-eye_. The most feared dinosaur on the island and the raptors most feared enemy.

But they were called by another name. A name I had found in the pages of the journal and had just remembered. They were called Troodon Pectinodon. The ' _fantasma de ojos'_.

:

:


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18: The beginning of a War**

:

Darger paced back and forth in the burnt ruined office room of the Ingen laboratory. He was mad. Not only at Pava's nest sister for letting the human escape, but also at himself for underestimating the human's intelligence.

Pava's nest sister had paid for her life for her failure. The blood along Darger's jaws was proof of that.

The rest of the older raptors stood in the empty office as well, waiting for their alpha to make a command. After the fire and smoke had cleared the pack had regrouped together in the office that served as Darger's private room.

The alpha raptor was not in the best of moods since the fire had stopped and he was about ready to lash out at anyone.

Pava was by his side at the moment.

"What do we do now, alpha?" She asked, opening the conversation as innocently as possible.

"About what?" was his sharp answer.

"About the forest pack, of course," She said. "do we attack them and take their territory by force or not?"

"Look!" He snarled. "I told you already that we do not move until the time is right. Our pack is only a few while Phaganax's pack is many. And they are strong like a chain. And although I'd like nothing better to do then to rip his heart out and devourer it in my jaws, I can not attack a pack like that so recklessly."

He huffed, turned away from her, and kept pacing. The night outside the office was silent except for the usual sound of frogs croaking in the empty compound water fountains.

Darger and the pack paid them no mind.

"When the scout returns," Said Pava. "we will know when the time is right to attack. We may have gotten away with attacking their pack last time, but this time it will be different. We will succeed this time."

"We had better," Growled Darger, his eyes on her. "food is becoming more harder to find in this place. Everywhere else is either taken over by another pack or larger carnivore. We need that territory and we need it now."

"Patience is the only way of getting what we want, alpha Darger," Said a underweight pack member. "the territory is not going anywhere."

"And neither is Phaganax or Kara!" Darger hissed at him. "they are living it up in that jungle while we starve. Well, I'll soon give them something to feast upon soon enough."

At that moment the ranks of raptors in the office suddenly parted and the scout came forward. He was panting and there were a few scratches on his snout.

"You, report," Darger ordered, pointing a long claw down at the scout.

"The pack was asleep as you had said, my alpha," Panted the scout. "and I did what you had commanded; I scratched alpha Phaganax's snout with my claws. And when he woke up and saw me, I screeched right in his face, _"The black stripes will rule this territory! Long live alpha Darger!"_ And then I dashed out of there as quick as I could."

Darger smiled devilishly. "Well done,"

Pava said, with a bit of apprehension, "You know what this scout has done is an act of war, don't you?"

Darger chuckled darkly. "Perhaps, my dear niece, but soon Phaganax's territory will be ours for the taking and the forest pack will have no choice but to leave. And if they don't leave willingly, then they will be wiped out. All of them."

"What of Nil and Chain, uncle?" Said Pava as she lifted a brow. "Those two think they are doing our pack a devotion-"

"Their devotion is nothing more than cowardice. The both of them would not be here if they had anywhere else to go. They spy for us because they think they'll be rewarded. Bah! The both of them are cowards more then rogues since they left their pack. But we need all the raptors we can get to take over Phaganax's territory."

Pava hissed lightly. "Those two pack traitors think they doing us favor, they are wrong."

"Forget them, Pava," Darger said, lifting a claw to silence her. "Soon Phaganax and Kara's precious pack will be finished and the black stripes will take over. Now, all of you leave."

The pack left the room and Pava was about to join them when Darger stopped her.

"Wait, Pava, not you."

She stopped and turned to her uncle.

"Yes, uncle?" She said uncertainty.

"I need for you to take care of that young beta, Tholestes," Darger growled, clicking his good claw on the floor. "His scent was mixed with that human's scent in the tall grass when he had escaped and I believe he is becoming a nuisance as well."

Pava tilted her head and then understood. "You want me to kill him, is that it?"

Darger growled and nodded. "If anything happens to Phaganax or Kara when the battle ends, I have no doubt that one of them will pass on the position of pack alpha to one of the betas of higher rank. Sandar is no good because he is old. And the other betas are inexperienced at leading a pack. I sense that this Tholestes is a strong raptor, Pava. A strong raptor indeed."

He smiled an evil smile and then let out high-pitched barking laugh.

That laugh echoed across the dark jungle, causing a group of bats in a nearby tree to fly away in fright.

:

 **Josiah's POV-**

I slept uneasily in the office and my sleep did not come without a few nightmares to go with it. My encounter with the Troodons left me shaken and I didn't feel safe moving at night to check on the barricade at the doors.

Though I was certain that the Troodons could not find me here, I felt unsure if my scent would attract them either way. Tholestes told once that his kind feared the Ghost-eyes above all other predators on the island. Even the musky scent of a raptor wasn't enough to drive them away.

And they were smart. _Even_ raptor-smart.

The night went on and I fell asleep but only because I was tired. More dreams would show up as soon as I closed my eyes. Some were pleasant while others just seem to make me wake up in my makeshift bed with a pounding heart.

By 5:46 on Saturday morning, the sky still a little dark, I was still half asleep and drowsy. I did not want to wake up in the morning with this.

My head felt heavy and all I wanted to do was sleep.

More dreams followed. And more heart poundings and cold sweats came with it.

I got up and took some Tylenol Extra Strength. The pills worked fast as I went back to sleep.

By 8:25, the sun now high over the jungle, I felt a little better. Not good, but better then last night.

I dragged myself off the bed and took a couple of deep breaths. Every move I made hurt, because my body had woken up too early.

I went downstairs to the ground floor and to the kitchen to fix myself some breakfast. Tarias was already awake and was by the doors, waiting for me to let him outside to do his business. I got up from my chair and removed some of the barricade from the doors and opened one of them. The young raptor slipped through the opening and went off into the bushes.

Looking around the barren streets beyond the church, I noticed that there was a thin mist coming from the jungle.

No surprise there. There was always mist in the early mornings on the island these days that it was sort of a routine.

Tarias came from around a small boulder, limping slightly on his leg, and went back inside the church.

I was about to close the door and barricade it when I heard a high-pitched bark and caw coming from the jungle. I felt Tarias move beside me as I walked outside to listen.

Tarias cawed something, but I didn't understand what he had said before I had time to put on my translation device in each of my ears.

"What's going on, Tarias?" I said said. "Was that Tholestes I just heard out there?"

Tarias nodded. "Yes, it was." he said. "And he's coming this way. Something must have happened at the nest."

And indeed something had happened.

Tholestes arrived at the church within minutes with urgent news.

A black stripe scout had gotten into the raptor nest and attacked Phaganax. The cowardly little bastard had run out of there before the pack could be roused.

I didn't see what the problem was since the older and more powerful raptor hadn't gotten seriously hurt. All he got was a scratch alongside his snout.

Tholestes and Tarias both explained to me that when a rival pack sent a scout to scratch and scar the snout of their opposing alphas, it was a sign of bravery. A beginning of a territorial war.

 **Tholestes' POV-**

"Phaganax has the whole pack ready to move out as soon as my grandfather gives the signal." I explained to Josiah as he and my brother moved through the jungle with me back to the nest. "Alpha Kara and the omegas have moved to the high grounds with the younger raptors to keep them safe. Phaganax told me to also bring you along so that he can talk to you."

Josiah turned to me with a raised brow. "Why does he want to talk to me for, Tholestes?"

I only shrugged as I jumped over a fallen log. "It's unclear for now, but it must be important."

We arrived at the nest and soon found that some of the older pack members were gathered around Phaganax and Kara's nest. He stood tall and had his eyes on all the pack.

Josiah stood a little ways away so that he wasn't among the pack, his rifle still held in his hands.

I stood among the pack and saw my brother and sister stand beside me. We were all listening to Phaganax as he spoke, which he did while pacing. A twinge of unease shot through my stomach as I felt the tension in the air.

Phaganax hissed loudly and the pack calmed down to listen. His face, like the rest of him, was challenging and acute.

"Our pack and our territory are in jeopardy, my brothers," He said, his voice strong. "The black stripes have now declared war on us. Our pack and this territory are in danger of being overrun by them. The plan of defend and attack is simple.

The first strike force of betas will defend the forests surrounding our home from outside. The second strike force will ready themselves to take on any stragglers that may survive the first strike. At least this way, when the fight is over, the number of black stripes might dwindle."

The pack all nodded.

"Now," Phaganax continued, "we don't know when they'll attack, but just in case they do I want the scouts with Sandar ready to sound the alarm if they appear. You all have your duties. Get to your posts."

Six pack betas dashed off to their positions around the outer forests around the nests. The other betas, including me, positioned ourselves in and around the nests and outer areas of the forest that sheltered the nesting site. The trees around our nests were tall and shaded us from any rain that could fall from above.

The only problem were the hunting grounds. They were unprotected. The black stripes could take them easily and sneak in from behind.

Luckily, thanks to the river, black stripes couldn't cross it without being swept away by the rushing water. We knew the only safe way across.

I looked over at Phaganax and Josiah. They were both talking to each other and it looked like it was not a casual talk. I walked over, quietly, and listened to what they were saying.

"I don't think you understand the importance of the situation our pack is in, Josiah, we need your help." Said Phaganax. His voice sounded almost pleading.

Josiah shook his head and backed away slightly from Phaganax. "I can't get involved in this, Phaganax. Your pack will get along fine without my rifle or other human weapons. Besides, like I told you before, the black stripes are starving and hungry. They were fighting each other over scraps of food while your pack have full bellies. It's not your fault that you have this territory full of prey."

Phaganax pressed on. "That maybe, Josiah, but our pack has staked-out this territory first ever since Sandar led us as alpha before me. And all I'm asking of you is that you help defend it."

Josiah bit his bottom lib, uncertain if he should say yes or not.

"Phaganax," He said softly. "I can't get involved in this. I really can't. A thing like this war between your pack and Darger's could end up killing not only me, but also Kara and your remaining eggs. Who knows where it will go from there?"

Phaganax let that settle in. he breathed out through his teeth and lowered his head. Josiah placed his hand on Phaganax's shoulder.

"If I could help your pack, Phaganax, I would." He said. "But this island does not need a human to fight its battles for it."

I took that moment to approach them. I didn't want Josiah to be forced into anything that our pack couldn't handle, but I-we needed his help.

"Your right, Josiah," I said as I stood before him and Phaganax. "This isn't your fight. But..."

"I said no, Tholestes," Josiah snapped, raising a hand to silence me. He turned to Phaganax. "When the battle starts, I'm not joining in to fight. Now I'm going back to the village and staying there until this whole thing has blown over."

He walked away, brushing passed me as he went.

I didn't give up.

"But our pack is in danger-"

Josiah whirled on me, and I could see that his eyes were shinning with tears. "I told you I can't get involved! I already lost one good friend on this island because of me, Tholestes. I'm not going to go through that again!"

He stormed out of the nesting area and disappeared through the underbrush, leaving me and Phaganax standing where we were.

I breathed out a sigh and kicked at the lose dirt under my feet.

"I guess that is it," Said Phaganax, turning away from the bushes. "Looks like we'll have to deal with the black stripes without his help after all."

I turned to Phaganax. "Don't worry, alpha," I said reassuringly. "We betas will do what we can to protect our home. With or without the human's weapons, we still have our claws and fangs. They will be more then enough."

"I hope you are right, Tholestes," Said Phaganax. He turned and began walking away. "Get back to your post, young beta. It's going to be a long morning."

::


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19: Something To Fight For**

 **:**

 **Josiah's POV-**

I continued on back to the village and to the church while grumbling to myself as I walked through the jungle from the raptor nest. I passed by a couple of sentries on my way out, but paid no attention to them.

It was obvious that they had been put there to watch for any enemy black stripes that may attack.

As I walked through the jungle, my mind was on one thing; This was no business of mine.

I couldn't believe what Phaganax wanted me to do. Just so he can use me in a territorial dispute over a piece of dirt? I had no doubt that Tholestes and the pack would be alright without me. They were raptors, weren't they? They could handle it.

Am I making a mistake by ignoring it? I don't know. What I did know was that I had to find someway to get through the last week without getting killed on this island.

I made it back to the church, got inside and barricaded the door, and went upstairs to the second floor to my office room. I needed some time to think to myself.

I sat and thought about a lot of what or what may not happen if I got involved with the raptor's war.

On one hand, my rifle and spear could come in use of dealing with any black stripe raptor I might encounter in battle.

On the other hand, I could end up being torn apart within second once the battle began.

My fight back with Nil was only a win because I had stabbed the raptor in the eye with my knife, but had not killed him.

If I had killed him I would have thought differently about the way things worked here on the island of Sorna.

I tried to get some sleep but it was tough. My mind was racing in different directions. And the middle of the day sunshine was not helping things to pass the time. So I got up and paced some more in the office.

Right now I'm so confused, its hard to think straight. But I was able to pull my mind together on what would be the outcome of the battle if I helped.

The black stripes were many but they were weak and starving. The forest pack were a strong group of fifteen or sixteen raptors in all. And they were fit for battle.

If I joined Tholestes' pack in defending their home, then there was nothing wrong with that. I wouldn't be in the heat of battle or charge in to fight alongside them. I guess that made sense.

On the one hand, I still could get killed. Defending the pack's territory was going to be tricky if a black stripe got through the ranks of sentries and attacked me while my guard was down. But I was convinced that my rifle and knife would be more then officiant enough to stop it.

Plus Darger would join the fight alongside his pack as well. And if his pack succeeded in taking over Phaganax's territory, then it would only be a matter of time before Darger himself would come to the church to kill me next.

I hadn't really thought of that.

And I really couldn't stay here in the church and wait for the last week to end just like that.

I had to make a decision. Do I get involved? I didn't know if I would survive this, but one thing was for sure; I was nobody's prey.

In the back of my mind, I knew I was prey.

The carnivorous dinosaurs in the past had always tried to eat me. And it was always because I had sometimes let my guard down or didn't pay attention to my surroundings.

Well, it was time to stop being a target and start being prey that fights back.

Like it or not, it was time to stop being an observer camera.

I got dressed in faded green shorts with a dull green tank-top. I kept on my hiking boots but adjusted my socks so they weren't too high on my ankles.

I went downstairs to the kitchen and prepared for what I needed.

I checked my bullets for my rifle and found that there were plenty for me to use. My knife lay on the counter as well and I put it back in it's sheath and then attached it to the strap around my ankle.

I put on a pair of Mechanix Wear M-Pact Fingerless Gloves and made sure they were on good and tight. These types of gloves had good dexterity with critical impact resistance for jobs big and small.

This job was not going to be small at all.

I made sure I had my rifle by my side on the strap 'round my shoulder. It was loaded. And so were my gas grenades along with it. They would be used later in case I needed them.

I went outside and closed the door behind me. I didn't know when I would be back to the church. But I somehow knew I would be back.

I just had to believe.

I pocketed my translator device in the fanny pack I had around my waist and zipped it shut.

I made my way through the jungle, heading back in the direction of the raptor nest.

Halfway through the jungle, I'm thinking that what I'm about to do could get me killed. Involving myself in a raptor fight would come with a big risk.

Not only that but I knew that many animal experts would probably lecture and scold me for interfering with the wildlife. The footage I had taken over the past eight weeks was proof of that. People would say that a raptor pack territory battle was a natural situation.

Well, it wasn't to me.

Tholestes and his pack were not from the natural world of the _21st century_. They came from an age were dinosaurs ruled the earth. They were brought back to life by humans, of course. But they did not have the same rules or regulations as the animals of this century did. Therefore, I could interfere as much as I wanted. And who here on the island was there to stop me? No one around here on this island but myself. This was my decision.

I just hoped it was the right one.

:

I had made it back to the raptor nest and located Phaganax at his and Kara's nest. He stood up as he saw me coming as I put on my translator device.

"Change your mind, did you?" He said with a slight hiss. "I thought you didn't want to get involved."

"I changed my mind, Phaganax," I said. "your pack is going to need all the help you can get. I hope it's not too late."

"It's not," Said Phaganax. "but I'm glad your here to help."

I approached him and faced the older alpha male raptor, my own face steady and firm.

"But if I do this, help you defend your pack's home from Darger and the other black stripes, I do it as a human." I said. I could feel my heart thumping a little because I couldn't believe I was doing this.

Now Phaganax is looking at me good, eyes narrowed down a little. "Why as a human, even though you are?"

"I will not fight as a raptor with my bare hands or teeth like you and your kind. I'm not strong enough for that. My rifle and knife are my weapons. They are what I'll use."

Phaganax nodded his head. "I understand. You humans have your way of defending yourselves, and we raptors have ours."

I nodded. "Now, where would you like me to be positioned, Phaganax?"

Phaganax turned and pointed toward the cliffs that were situated far away from the nesting site. Looking closely, I saw that there were a series of cave-like entrances in the cliffs. From far away they didn't look like much. The forest around that area was less dense there then here at the nest.

"Those caves," Said Phaganax. "are where Kara and the other younger raptors are now, along with some of the eggs that were saved, which include ours. I want you there with her to add for more protection, understood?"

I nodded. "I understand." I turned, adjusted my rifle, and headed in the direction of the cliffs.

As I walked I felt like I was in way over my head again. But I had to do this. It was the right thing. Tholestes and this pack were my friends. And that was something to fight for. It was worth fighting for.

:

:


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20: The First Wave**

:

 **Josiah's POV-**

I found out, as I got closer to the cliffs, that the caves themselves weren't caves at all. It was a dam. The structure was very large and had once been marble white in color. But now, like the village, it too was being reclaimed by the jungle. The stone was now a dirty grey color and there was a deep crack that lined the left side of the dam.

I did see a series a stone steps that led up to the top of the dam. I was about to turn toward them when I saw a raptor standing at the entrance of the flood gates to my left.

I froze. But then I relaxed as I saw that it was just Fern. The young raptor hopped down of the small platform and approached me.

"Josiah, your here!" She chirped happily. "Dose this mean your gonna help our pack?"

I nodded and smiled. "That's right, little raptor, and Phaganax has positioned me here with you and Kara and the other younger raptors. Where is Kara?"

Fern pointed toward the flood gates.

"She's inside the vent with the other young pack members and the eggs as well. The older females of the lower beta positions are guarding them at the end of the vent. Kara has the younger chicks in the middle with some of the older betas who were injured."

"I see," I said, scratching at my chin. "and is Terias there as well?"

"Yep," Said Fern. "His leg is a little bit better, thanks to you. But Kara wants him positioned among the other chicks. Come one, I'll take up to see her."

Both me and Fern turned and walked toward the dam. I saw that the flood gates were up a little high and that there was no way that I was going to be able jump up there. I watched as Fern easily jump onto the platform. I wasn't so flexible when it came to jumping up things that were high.

"Oh, that's easy for you, Fern," I said snottily. "but I can't jump as well as you."

Fern turned to look down at me.

"You humans are all the same, you know that?" She said teasingly with a chirp.

"Ha, ha," I said sarcastically. "very funny."

I decided to move one of the empty boxes by the stairs over and then climbed on it to get to the ledge. It worked.

Fern led me inside the vent and I noticed that it was large enough for me to stand erect in. The ceiling wasn't that low and it looked like the walls weren't all that close neither. The vent had been built inside the dam to help manage water flow. I wrinkled my nose.

The place smelled like damp old water and a nasty combination of rotted bones and mold on metal. A steady stream of water was still flowing through the vent around my feet. The vent did offer shelter to the raptors that were milling around in it. Some of them were the young raptor chicks I had met before. They all looked up when they saw me with Fern but I ignored them. I needed to see Kara first.

I saw her at the end of the vent with a crisscrossing metal grate.

Several female raptors were there with the cluster of eggs by their side as well.

Kara looked up when she saw me coming.

"Josiah," She said, tilting her head in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to give you some help, Kara," I said, placing my rifle on the floor against the wall along with my backpack. "The way I see it, Darger and the black stripes are both our enemies. And sooner or later, Kara, he'll come for me. So, I figure I can fight with you and the pack to stop him."

Kara smiled and nodded.

I sat down on the floor next to Fern. She placed her head on my lap and I gently started to scratch her along her chin and around the neck. She gurgled contently and rubbed her head against the side of my neck.

Up until that moment, the only thing on my mind was staying in the church for the rest of the week and then leaving the island and the dinosaurs behind.

And now here I was trying to defend a raptor pack's home from Darger and the black stripes.

I looked over at Kara and the other young raptors and realized that they weren't just a simple pack of raptors. They were innocent animals who had lived peaceful, good lives. This was their home. They'd done nothing to bring on the trouble that was about to descend on them from the jungle.

The younger raptors, who had not grown into their neck quills, were not fighters and the eggs weren't even hatched yet. If the black stripes ever got passed the first and second lines of raptors like Tholestes or Phaganax, then it was game over once they came here to finish us off. The vicious bastards would kill everyone in here, including Fern and Terias and the remaining unhatched eggs. It made me hate Darger all the more.

I turned to Kara and asked, "So, what's going to happen if your pack wins this fight, Kara?"

The alpha female raptor looked at me and then let out a soft hiss. It wasn't a angry hiss but more of a tired hiss.

"I'm not sure, Josiah," She said. "Our pack may have to leave and seek out a new territory somewhere on the island that's not inhabited by another pack. If Phaganax or the other betas fail or die, then I'll lead the others to safety beyond our territory and find a new home."

"Do you think the betas can hold back the black stripes by themselves, Kara?"

Kara snorted. "They can hold them back. The black stripes are uncoordinated when it comes to being stealthy or quite. They'll recklessly rush forward at any beta they see on command. That will be the first strike."

I tilted my head curiously. "First strike?"

"The first strike," Kara explained. "will have the enemy come from the front. It won't be from the side. If the betas hold off and kill the black stripe first strike group, then the second strike will try and overpower the first line of our beta defense."

"And that's where Phaganax and the older betas come in?"

Kara nodded. "That's right, but he won't fight the black stripes or try to help the other betas when that happens."

"Why not?" I asked, giving her a concerned look.

"Because he'll be waiting for Darger to approach him and fight him in an alpha's battle to the death."

"Battle to the death?" I said, my eyes wide. "What are you saying? That one of them has to die?"

Kara looked at me and said, "Yes."

:

That evening, while the rains had started up again, I sat alone on the edge of the flood gates. With me were my knife and rifle.

The rain run down the sides of the dam and created small streams and puddles that off into the jungle beyond. I wasn't getting wet or anything, but the smell from inside the vent wasn't all that great for my nose. A little fresh air did me good.

I sat staring at the jungle and toward the small clearing where the raptor nest was, wondering how the battle would all play out. I could envision the raptors fighting, what I couldn't see was the end game. Of course, I hoped we'd beat the black stripes before they did any real damage, and that seemed likely. I didn't want to be too overconfident, but the numbers were on our side.

The black stripe raptors were starving, but they had large numbers. This pack, Tholestes' pack, had strength and numbers and were better coordinated with proper alphas to lead them.

As if reading my thoughts, Terias approached me from behind in the vent and said, "If this goes badly, alpha Kara wants us to retreat through the vent and to the other side of the dam. There is a jungle path through a canyon that leads to the open plains beyond and to another jungle."

"Where's Fern?" I asked.

Terias answered, "Kara is talking to her. She's going to be put in the position of delta."

"And what is that, Terias?" I asked, interested.

"A delta raptor is a pack member in training for beta position. They are third in rank to alpha and beta. Delta's do not hold the authority to call medium or large hunts. Deltas usually become the next beta after training is complete but one can remain delta without moving to beta position. When this is the case, if ever the current beta raptor is removed from their rank, steps down, changes rank, or dies, the delta may take the place as the new beta at the alpha's request. There may only be a male and female delta."

"Whoa," I said. "That's rather a huge position to be given. Particularly to raptor as young as Fern. Do you think she's ready to be a delta?"

Terias nodded. "It's honor to be chosen as a delta by the alphas. And one day, Josiah, I'll be one as well."

I smiled and rubbed the young raptor on neck. "You'll get there, Terias. I'm sure of it."

Givin' an encouragement to a raptor was like filling a balloon with air. I could actually see Terias' chest swell up.

As the rain continued to fall I noticed that mist was beginning to come in as well. I first thought that this could be a problem. Would they be able to see in this? With mist that thick and raptors on either side unable to see each other, the odds of the packs attacking one another was unsettling.

And then, from somewhere in the distance, I heard a bloodcurdling shriek from somewhere in the mist.

And sounded like Tholestes. No. The black stripes were attacking!

:


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21: Fight or Flight**

:

 **Tholestes' POV-**

Pava had pinned me to the ground. I had been a fool to let my guard down just because the wretched mist had come from nowhere.

She had me dragged away by her pack sisters, my shrieks and barks not getting through the mist. There were some answering barks and yelps but the other betas wouldn't be able to come to my aide before I would be ripped apart.

"Let me go, Pava!" I snarled, snapping at the nearest black stripe's leg. "I demand you let me go!"

Pava snorted in amusement. "You demand nothing, forest rat. Once we are far enough away from your pack's boundaries, we'll see how brazen you are." Then she added in a deadly hiss, "And I would stop thrashing or I might have my pack sisters rip you apart right now."

I had no choice but to let the black stripes drag me away. How could I argue with that?

The mist was beginning to thin so I was able to see where I was going. Or being taken to. Looking up, I saw that there were only two black stripes dragging me from my leg and forearm. Pava was in front leading the way.

I glanced around and saw that we were near the stream that ran beside the boarder of my pack's territory.

When we stopped Pava walked in front of me and leaned down toward my ear hole.

"Don't try to fight or run, forest rat," She hissed. "My pack sisters will kill you if you so much as try, understand?"

I growled at her. "I won't run from the likes of you, Pava."

She snorted in my face and smirked. "A wise choice, little sickleclaw."

The two raptors holding me let me go and I got to my feet. They both readied themselves to attack me if I so much as growled.

"Let's all take it easy," Pava said. She moved between her sisters and faced me. "You're in a tough spot, forest rat. My sisters would kill you without a second thought. I'll let them do it, too…unless you listen to what I have to say."

"I'm listening," I growled.

Pava sat on her haunches and I did the same. Her sisters didn't.

"You know what is about to happen, don't you?" Pava said. "Our two packs are about to clash in a territorial battle that could decide the fate of your pack's territory. But I don't want to see any bloodshed come to my pack. We are many but we are starving."

I rolled my eyes. I already knew about that from Josiah. "Why are you telling me about what I already know, Pava?"

"Because, little sickleclaw," She hissed softly. "I don't want my pack to starve anymore. If your pack gives up this territory willingly, then Darger will probably let you live."

Now I'm looking at Pava good, my eyes narrow down to slits. "Did Darger put you up to this?"

"No. This is me talking." She said evenly.

"Well, aren't you something now! And what makes you think Phaganax or Kara will just give up our territory just like that?"

Pava gave me a soft chirp and leaned in so that both our snouts were nearly touching.

"Because if they don't, it'll be a bloodbath. I don't want to see my sisters die."

I wasn't convinced by her little act. What was she trying to pull?

"You are a black stripe. I thought that killing needlessly was what you and your kind loved doing the most."

Pava gave me a hard look. "Is that what you think?"

I barked. "It's what you and your kind do, isn't it?"

Pava let out a exasperated snort. "Well bite my hide, I didn't know your pack thought that way about my pack! My mother, may she rest in piece in a better world then this one, tried to maintain the hunting laws of our pack when she was alpha female. But when she died it was my uncle who took over the pack and changed the rules. The hunting got so bad that we were forced to hunt almost everyday. Large carcasses could last us a week and we'd never go hungry. But no thanks to my uncle, who clearly didn't know how to organize a hunt, the inexperienced hunters killed recklessly."

"Whoa," I said, shaking my head. "That is a lot to absorb and to believe, Pava. If what your saying is true, then why don't you and your pack just leave Darger and find a new territory?"

Pava let out a sad hiss. "The pack is loyal to Darger since he is the alpha, Tholestes. And as his niece, I am loyal to him."

I shook my head sadly. "Then it is your loyalty that will be your pack's downfall, Pava. Darger will kill all of you, and he won't even have to lift a claw to do it."

I stood up and turned to leave. Pava stopped me with a soft bark.

"There is really nothing you can do?"

I felt my insides twist with pity for Pava. If she was telling the truth,which would probably be a lie, her pack would be slaughtered by my pack and her along with them. Darger, her uncle, would lose the entire pack and would be alone to fend for himself. But...

"I can't do anything about it,Pava," I said, turning to her. "But you can. You can leave your uncle and you and your sisters can find a new home somewhere on the island where even Darger can't find you."

Pava shook her head. "I'm loyal to my uncle, Tholestes. I just can't leave him and run off with my sisters and hope that he doesn't come after me out of revenge for leaving him."

Then there was nothing left for me to say to her except... "Then there is nothing either of us can do, Pava. The battle and the future for this territory will soon begin. You had a chance to leave and you didn't take it. Now I fear that both of our blood will be spilled. But we both have no other choice. We either live apart or die together, Pava. Your pack made that decision long ago."

I turned and left, heading back through the mist of the jungle.

:

 **Josiah's POV-**

I ran through the mist with Fern right beside me. A series of shrieks and yelps filled the moist air and horrible barks and snarls followed right after. It made fear the worst. The black stripes were attacking the pack in the mist. The battle had begun.

Around me I saw shadow-like figures of raptors engaged in battle. I just hoped that this was the first strike and not the second. Fern yelped and jumped aside as a raptor fell on its side from the mist in front of her. I raised my rifle and took aim. I squinted and saw that the raptor was not a black stripe, but a forest raptor. It had the same coloration as a female raptor.

"Ren!" Fern cried. "Ren, are you all right?"

The raptor, Ren, stood up and wiped a smear of blood from her snout with her foreclaw.

"I've been better, Fern!" She growled. "A black stripe cur caught me off-guard and slashed me good."

A screech came from the left and a black stripe raptor jumped at us. I instantly raised my rifle, took aim, and fired. The raptor's head snapped back as the bullet struck it in it's skull. It landed on it's side and was still. On the ground I could see a pool of blood forming from around it's head. It was dead.

"Good hit, human," Ren said. "Loud, but good."

I lowered my rifle but kept my hand on the trigger. "I'll say."

I had to remember that raptors were swift runner and strong jumpers. They were far more intelligent than the other dinosaurs on the island, next to the troodons, and they couldn't be underestimated.

"We're not doing any good in this mist," I said quickly. "Next time I might shoot at a wrong raptor pack member, or worse."

More screeches and yelps filled the air. The mist was beginning to thin again and I saw more raptors fighting each other.

"We've got to help them!" Ren cried.

I agreed. This was a deadly dogfight between Phaganax's pack and Darger's. But there was a problem.

"How can you tell the black stripes from your own pack, Ren?" I said, lifting the rifle again. "The mist is not thin enough for me to make a clean shot with my rifle."

Ren turned to me. "Then you'll have to use that fang-weapon of yours to attack them at close-range. It's the only way. And don't worry, human. The black stripes' orange hides are the giveaways that you are attacking the right one."

She was right. I took out my knife and put my rifle around my shoulder so it would be out of the way. In my hands it looked like a pitiful weapon to use against a six-foot raptor. But if it could damage Nil's eye, it could kill a raptor. But what if it didn't work?

I could fight a single raptor or smaller dinosaur all day and come out on top, and that was thanks to my training, but a whole group of raptors were a different story entirely. They _were_ big, more than twice my weight, and they _were_ tough. A well trained raptor could shrug off a blow from a knife in a way that a mere human could not.

But Ren was right. Sooner or later, when the mist cleared, I would have to use my knife for close combat.

Out from the mist to the right came two more raptors. I tensed and readied my knife. Ren and Fern both got into a battle stance and hissed loudly.

The two raptors stopped and started to fan out while approaching the three of us.

I recognized them almost instantly. Particularly the one with the damaged eye. But it was Fern who recognized them first.

"Nil and Cain," She growled darkly. "I should have known you two where cowardly enough to join another pack, but I never knew you were foolhardy to join the black stripe curs."

Both exiled raptors let out sneering chuckles.

"Oh, Fern, you poor simple little forest rat," Said Cain with a polished air. "It's more then that. Darger has given us a place among his pack, so long as we serve him and his noble cause. But it wasn't just the hunting Darger was offering, or us being his spies; it was the health plan that came with it. He let me and Nil live provided we kill you, your brothers, your grandfather, and that human before the battle ends."

Ren snarled at Nil while Fern kept her eyes on Cain.

I kept my knife ready and steady. If both raptors charged at once, both Ren and Fern wouldn't know who to fight. Fern was young, but she could fight and was light on her feet. I didn't know about Ren though.

And I didn't have long to think.

Both raptors attacked.

I decided to go after Nil. I had a bone to pick with him.

I raised my knife and moved to the side to avoid Ren's tail.

Nil moved in and tried to get pass Ren, but the female raptor intersected him and swiped at him with her claws. Because of his bad eye, thanks to me, Nil could only keep one eye on his opponents.

I couldn't just attack him recklessly and hope I'd stab him in a lucky shot. I had to wait for him to make the first move.

Ren charged at Nil and bit into his neck and tried to wrestle him to the ground. But Nil wasn't going down that easy. The one-eyed raptor twisted his neck out of Ren's teeth and bit back. Both raptors snarled and snapped at each other with equal ferocity. The thing about Nil and Cain was that they were not human sized raptors. That was my advantage. The real problem came from their speed.

Nil bit into Ren's flank. Ren snarled, and suddenly snapped her head, sinking her teeth into Nil's neck. Nil wrenched his neck free from Ren and tried to strike back with his hind claws. Ren dodged them and countered with her own claws, and with a single swift movement ripped open Nil's throat. Blood gushed out. Nil let out a dying scream and thrashed upon the ground. More blood flowed from him but Ren turned away, her cold reptilian eyes holding no mercy. Finally, after what seemed like seconds, Nil's body stopped twitching and was still. So much for having that bone picked.

I turned to Fern and saw that Cain was now on the ground beneath her killing claws.

"Finish him, Fern!" Ren barked at her, licking a smear of blood from her snout. "Do it!"

Fern hesitated, and then raised her killing claw to deliver the fatal blow.

That hesitation was all Cain needed. He lashed out at Fern with his own killing claw and slashed her across the chest. Fern let out a shriek of pain and toppled over on her side.

"NO!" I cried, my shout echoing around the jungle. I was too stunned to move or go to her aide. I saw blood on Cain's sickle claw as he got to his feet and stood over Fern. He looked her square in the eye and said with brutal anger, "Now die!"

He raised his killing claw again to finish her off, when Ren let out a screech of fury and charged him. Cain saw her coming and turned to face her. The female raptor tackled Cain into the ground and the two began fighting.

I stood where I was, unable to decide who to help.

I made up my mind quickly and ran to Fern. I knelt down and placed a hand on her side. She looked up at me and let out a pitiful sort of chirp.

Looking down at her chest, which was still oozing blood, I saw that Cain's claw had cut her just below the neck. The wound wasn't very deep but I could see that it caused Fern to let out sharp hisses of pain.

"Are you all right, Fern?" I said desperately.

Fern chirped and winced in pain again. "I'll be okay, Josiah, it doesn't hurt that much."

I felt tears beginning to form in my eyes. Blood was still oozing out from her. I quickly took off my shirt, leaving the light green undershirt on, and pressed it against the wound. Fern let out a hiss of pain but the wound did not flow.

Seeing her like this brought back memories of Zephyr. My poor friend who was now dead. And in that instant I felt rage boiling within me. I got up and slowly turned toward Cain. He was still fighting with Ren. Clutching the knife, I yelled, "CAIN!"

Both raptors stopped fighting and Cain turned to face me, his eyes wide with surprise and defiance.

I didn't see a normal dinosaur anymore. All I saw was a killer. A killer and a traitor who'd almost taken young, innocent Fern from me. And who could still die. I raised my knife and stared into the raptor's defiant eyes.

"How dare you do this to Fern!" I shouted, trembling with rage. "Now," I roared, "You'll pay!"

Without another word, I attacked.

I charged directly at him, letting out a hideous, guttural scream.

The scream caused Cain to flinch. It would be the last mistake he'd ever make.

I thrust the knife forward. Cain tried to dodge it, but wasn't fast enough.

Ren, in total surprise, watched as I ran my knife through Cain's throat.

I felt the blade come out the back of his neck, slick with blood. I drove the weapon so deep that my hands were pressed against Cain's scaly neck. I looked the traitorous raptor square in the eyes with my own and said with equivalent brutal anger, "The only theme park monster I see here is you!"

I pulled the knife out quickly. Cain fell to the ground. For all I knew, he was already dead. I didn't care.

I looked down at my hands and was mildly shocked to see them covered in blood. I had no time to feel sickened. I had to tend to Fern.

Ren was already by her side, licking at the wound. Fern whimpered in pain but kept still.

"Is she going to be all right, Ren?" I said, looking at the wound with concern.

"She'll be fine," Ren told me, still licking the wound. "We raptors have powerful nervous systems. We don't die fast, even with a direct bite to the head or neck. And we are built more powerfully when fully grown. And we are difficult to mortally wound in the legs or hindquarters. He," She pointed to Cain's lifeless form with venom, "was not fully grown and so his body was easier to kill."

I looked around the jungle clearing and noticed that the mist had completely disappeared. I saw that there were bodies of raptors on the ground. Some were still alive. There were black stripe bodies and forest raptors, but the forest raptors were already getting up and limping away back to the second line.

"We've got to get Fern back to the dam," I said quickly. "Kara will help her."

Ren nodded and nudged Fern to get up. She did, but winced again as she stand up on her feet.

"Your legs still work," Said Ren. "That's the important thing."

It took a while for us to get back to the dam. Fern's chest bled more slowly and I kept my shirt tied around her chest to keep it from bleeding.

By the time we got to the flood gates Fern's blood had completely soaked my shirt. She was weak and was breathing shallowly. I helped get her into the vent. Ren assisted me as best she could. Once we were inside the vent I helped Fern to the end of the vent with the other raptors. Kara help clean the injury as best she could. Fern rested upon the rusted floor. The other young raptors smelled the blood and curiously sniffed at her. Kara hissed at them to get back.

"Kara, what happened?' I asked her as she cleaned Fern's injury. "Why are there less pack members in here?"

Kara paused long enough to look at me. "My sisters took off to the other side of the dam when the fighting got to close. Several of the chicks went with them, the fools. They were safe here, but like bog-brains, they ran out of the vent and took some of chicks with them."

"And what about the first wave, Kara? Did you see that?"

Kara shook her head as I adjusted the translator device in my ears. "The damned mist came in and made it hard to see anything." She said with a low growl. "I couldn't tell who was fighting who down there. Phaganax and Sandar called back the sentries around the nests to fallback. When the mist cleared I was relieved that only the first wave of black stripes were killed. The other beta sentries are hurt but they'll pull through."

I nodded. It was good that the raptors had won the first round.

But what about the second round?

One thing I knew was for sure was that this battle was only the beginning.

:

:


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22: The Endgame begins**

:

 **Tholestes POV-**

Sandar, my grandfather of the forest pack, had battled well against the black stripe's first strike force. But the short battle had taken a lot from him. I heard his bones creak and heard him groan from aches that came from the damp, and the cold weather didn't help with his joints that were stiff from age. After all, my grandfather was an old raptor.

But my grandfather held his ground and didn't give up.

I didn't know how many black stripes were taken down when I had got back to the ranks after my talk with Pava. But if I had to guess, it would be over ten or twelve.

I had missed most of the fighting no thanks to Pava kidnapping me and I didn't know how many of our side got taken down. Thankfully none were dead on our side. That was good.

What was wrong was that some of the betas were injured during the fight in the mist. Some had gashes and wounds that crisscrossed and slashed across their sides, necks, and upper legs near their hindquarters. I was relieved that they didn't suffer any injuries to their legs. A crippled raptor was no good to anyone in a pack.

We regrouped back at the nests and some of the female pack members quickly went to work cleaning the wounded raptors who were injured the most.

Phaganax was the least bit hurt from the fight. It was no wonder. He was the alpha of this pack after all.

I was stationed with the betas who were not injured while Phaganax had those who could fight positioned with the second line.

"We were lucky, Tholestes," Phaganax told me. "We only suffered minor injuries from the first strike, but I fear Darger will try something else."

"I know, " I grunted. "But what's going to happens if he wins?"

"He won't," Phaganax growled. "That son of a cur won't risk a frontal attack. He'll attack from the sides."

I snorted and then looked up to the sky. The mist had cleared but the clouds were still grey. The sky was dark with threatening rain. That was not good. If it rained the scent of the black stripes would be washed away and go unnoticed by the sentries.

And then I felt it. The first drops of water on my snout. The wind picked up and soon more water fell from the sky. A downpour soon followed after.

I cased an anxious look at Phaganax. "If we can't catch their scent in this rain…"

Phaganax snorted and shook his head to rid himself of the falling rain in his eyes. "Since when have we let a little rain stop us?"

"Never," I said.

"Exactly, Tholestes, it has not."

I let out a snort and shook my head again. "But still we won't be able to smell them coming."

"But we will see them," Said Phaganax. "The pack is ready to attack any..."

A scent hit my snout. I turned sharply to my right and saw a black stripe dash forward from a thicket of trees. Phaganax saw it coming and rushed forward to attack it. Both he and the black stripe cur collided, tumbling into the ground.

The struggle didn't last that long.

Phaganax had the orange-black cur under his killing claw, ready to tear his throat open. I stood nearby and waited to see what would happen.

"You have a lot of brass, cur," Phaganax snarled. "Did Darger send you?"

The black stripe snarled back. "He did and he sent me to tell you that the final battle for this territory will be take place at the killing fields on the edge of vine forest. Be there, you son of a carnivore."

Phaganax growled, and with one swift movement with his killing claw, slit the throat the black stripe. The raptor gagged and flopped on ground before finally dying, it's tongue hanging out.

"Consider my pack there, you poxy cur," Phaganax hissed.

:

The whole pack was soon gathered at the edge of the killing fields. Josiah was there as well. With him were Fern, my grandfather, and Terias. The pack was ready to fight.

From across the long, barren field at the trees, emerged the alpha of the black stripes. And standing among him, formed on either side, was his pack.

Phaganax started walking forward toward the center alone. Kara and the others watched. I knew what this was. My grandfather, Sandar, had told me that as a an alpha, it was Phaganax's duty to meet with the alpha of the enemy pack and try to negotiate. But I knew that there would be no parley from this.

Darger stepped forward to meet Phaganax in the middle. The air felt tense as the two raptors neared each other. Once or twice a member of my pack would try to dash forward to aide Phaganax, but Kara or my grandfather would viciously hiss at him or her to get back in line. I couldn't blame them for wanting to step in and help.

From a distance, it didn't look like I could here them. But we raptors could hear very good. I listened to what they were saying as they both started to circle each other.

"It makes no differences if your pack is ready to fight, Darger. You won't win and you won't take this territory." Phaganax snarled.

Darger curled his lips to expose is teeth. "Have you really made a differences with your pack, Phaganax? All I see are a bunch little chicks waiting to be slaughtered."

Phaganax growled. "At least my pack are not a bunch of pathetic scavengers...and murderers."

Darger cocked a brow ridge. "Why would you say that?"

"You killed my mother, Darger. You killed her."

Darger gave Phaganax a derisive snort. "So what if I did, Phaganax? She chose not to be my mate, and she paid the price for it."

Phaganax's eyes blazed with rage. "SHE WAS MY MOTHER!"

Darger took a step back from Phaganax's sudden roar of fury. Even our pack Darger's pack stopped squawking and barking at the sudden outburst.

Phaganax's eyes, red with anger, looked like they boring right into Darger's. I couldn't help but notice a small hint of fear in his eyes.

Phaganax growled, glaring at Darger. "I know how she died. Josiah told me everything."

"Ha! You believe the words of that human?" Darger barked, lashing his tail.

"I do," Phaganax said coldly. "He even told me how your pack is starving and weak. That is why you won't win against us."

Darger hissed lowly in his throat. If he had the quills of a forest raptor along his neck they'd be ratting right now.

But Phaganax kept on going and nothing was going to stop him. "You're going to kill your own pack, and don't even know it. My tribe will cut you all down faster then a group of Compys taking down a hapless rat."

Darger back away even more from Phaganax. His eyes were slits now and I could tell Darger was getting uneasy by Phaganax's words. Slings of saliva hung from his mouth. He finally said, composing himself, "Advise your pack, Phaganax. You can fight, and all of you will die, or you cannot fight, in which case, only your territory will be taken."

"You murdered my mother, Darger." Phaganax said, glaring at him again with venom. "That act is not going to go unpunished. We will fight. And you will die."

"So be it," Darger growled.

Both raptors parted ways.

Phaganax came back and got to the front of the pack. He turned to face all of us, even Josiah, my brother and Fern who had also joined the ranks.

I stood beside my grandfather. He turned to me and I noticed that his face was grim.

"What is the matter, grandfather?" I asked, nuzzling him under his chin.

"Tholestes," He said, not really taking notice of my nuzzling. "What ever happens to me, I want you to promise that you'll look after your brother and sister."

"What?" I took a step back from from him, bewildered that he'd say such a thing. "What are you talking about, grandfather?"

He let out a weary sigh and turned toward the black stripes across the killing field.

"You know what is about to come, and I fear it could mean the end of all of us. So I want you to promise me that you'll look after Terias and Fern if this battle should take my life."

I shook my head, not wanting to believe what my grandfather was saying was true.

"Grandfather, don't talk that way," I said uneasily, trying to reassure myself as much as him. "You have taken care of us ever since...since mother was killed by the tyrant king of the island. You can't leave us now."

Grandfather gave me a reassuring smile.

"Do not fear for me, Tholestes, but for your siblings. You are older now and a beta to this pack. You can take care of them."

I felt my bottom lip begin to tremble, but stopped it. This was no time to be showing that kind of weakness.

"I know I can, grandfather," I said. "but I don't want to lose you. _We_ don't want to lose you."

"Tholestes," Grandfather said. "you've always been strong and so has Fern. She has your mother's bravery; the heart of a raptor. I'm too old to look after you and the others now. It's your turn."

I attempted not to let my bottom lip tremble again. Great saurians, it was hard not to.

"I can't go on forever, Tholestes, and I don't plan on doing so," Grandfather continued. "Promise me you'll look after Fern and Terias for me. Promise."

I swallowed, holding back a sob, and said. "I promise, Grandfather Sandar."

He smiled at me and I smiled back. Both he and I turned back to the line of black stripes and positioned ourselves among the betas in the ranks.

I knew full well that this battle would probably mean many loses, but it would be a battle the black stripes will never forget.

:

Darger paced back and forth in front of his pack, his eyes never leaving the spot where Phaganax and he had stood.

"Phaganax surprises me," He whispered thoughtfully, turning to his pack. "He is more foolish than I thought."

Some of the younger black stripes snorted, anxious to get on with the battle.

"Do we have your approval to proceed, then, my alpha?" An older pack member asked hesitantly, wanting the battle to begin just as well as the others.

"Proceed," Darger ordered softly with a hiss. "Wipe them out, my pack. All of them."

He moved forward, turned back and gestured to all the raptors in the ranks and roared, "CUT THEM DOWN!"

:


	24. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23: Blood for Blood**

:

 **Josiah's POV-**

The black stripes attacked. Pure and simple and without any warning.

The whole pack came charging right at us.

Phaganax reacted quickly and let out a screech to his pack to charge as well. The raptors obeyed and attacked, charging forward in a form-out-like way that made them look coordinated. Far more coordinated then the black stripes.

The two packs collided in the middle, with the first two raptors in the front line striking each other, and the fight was on!

I held back with Fern, my rifle out and ready. We wouldn't get into the middle of that. It was too dangerous. Besides, I couldn't use my rifle in a battle like this. I knew that I could injure or worse, kill a member of the forest pack by accident.

From where I was, I could see that the packs were really having a go at each other. The numbers were on the black stripes side. But they were starving and malnourished and looked weak enough for Phaganax's to finish off quickly.

And of course I knew that the forest pack were a strong sixteen in total. The odds may have not have been in our favour for numbers, but the outcome wouldn't be any different.

We were going to win!

Some of the black stripes were not doing so well against the forest pack members. They screeched, yelped, and snarled so loudly that I couldn't tell who was fighting and who was yelping.

But I was sure that we were going to win. We had to.

"I'm not waiting any longer, Josiah!" Fern cried, moving forward. "We've got to go down there!"

"No you don't," I said, grabbing her by her tail to hold her back. "Let the older betas and your grandfather and brothers handle this, Fern."

Fern wrenched her tail free from my grip and turned to me, her reptilian eyes looking at me. "Then why don't you go down there and help, Josiah? You have your rifle."

I looked down at the fighting raptors again, surveying the situation. One part of me wanted to use it, the other told me no. I shook my head.

"Even if I do use it, I don't know if I have enough bullets to kill all of 'em black stripe bastards."

"Then what do we do?" Fern said hopelessly. "The black stripes are to many."

"Don't worry, Fern," I said. "Your brothers and grandfather can handle them."

And I was right. I hope. From where I was standing, I could see Tholestes and Terias, fighting brilliantly, holding off a swarm of black stripes with their grandfather, Sandar.

Blood flew from their killing claws and talons, and the bodies of a few black stripes lay dead or sorely hurt along the ground.

But it was Phaganax and Kara who fought brilliantly. The two alphas fought off black stripe after black stripe and some of the pack rallied behind them, ready to protect them both from any black stripe that came near them.

I saw Tholestes among them and saw blood on his neck and legs. I gulped and wiped my forehead with the back of my hand, the other holding my rifle. It was starting to get tense down there. And the heat wasn't helping.

Maybe it was time to join in. But then I started to rethink about it.

I didn't have any protective gear on like Eric had when he fought a pack of raptors on the island. I had no neck guards or shin guards to protect my knees or neck from an attack from a claw or fang. I would be torn to pieces before I fired a single shot at a target.

But if I stayed where I was then who knew what was going to happen.

Phaganax and Kara were strong and the pack was a force to be reckoned with, but Darger and his pack were many. I had miscalculated the size of the pack.

Sure the black stripes were weak and starving, but they were tenacious enough not to give up.

Down on the battlefield I saw Sandar and Darger locked in combat. The two raptors slashed and lunged at each others body and I could see that Sandar was beginning to slow up. The old raptor fought bravely under the younger raptor's savage attacks, ducking, weaving, striking back, until at last Darger maneuvered him to the top of a rock and forced him down. With one swift motion, the black stripe alpha jabbed Sandar in the chest with his claws. Sandar staggered backward, stunned by the attack, and fell over into the grass.

"NO!" Fern shrieked, dashing forward and down into the battlefield.

"Fern!" I Shouted after her. I holstered my rifle on my shoulder and took out my knife. Without thinking, I ran after her as quick as I could.

Things were not going well in our favor at all.

If Sandar dead, then Tholestes, Terias, and Fern would be on their own. The pack would lose a good member and everything Tholestes cared about would be lost as well. I couldn't let that happen. But would it be too late to save him?

 **Tholestes POV-**

The moment I saw my grandfather fell at the claws of Darger, I knew he was dead. My body fell numb and the taste of blood in my jaws felt tasteless on my tongue.

Not grandfather! No!

I ripped open the throat of the black stripe I had under my claws and ran to my grandfather's side. Darger had fled, back into the battle.

Fern and Josiah arrived at his side. I could see that the life was slowly draining from his eyes.

Fern knelt down and touched grandfather on the snout. He lifted his muzzle and gave her a feeble lick, like one would give to a passing pack member.

I leaned down and nuzzled grandfather under his chin, willing him to stand up and join me back into the battle. But he didn't stand up. He remained where he was.

"Grandfather," Fern whimpered, nuzzling him. "Please get up. Please."

"I'm…not sure I can, Fern," He replied feebly as he tried to hoist himself up.

"Yes, you can." Fern pleaded, "Get up!"

He tried to get to his feet, but his strength had gone from his old body. He sagged for a moment, then fell, his breath coming out in short rasps.

Fern whimpered, struggling to hold back her tears.

It was hard for me, too. This couldn't happen. Not to grandfather. He couldn't die.

"Tholestes," He struggled to say, "remember what I told you."

"Yes, grandfather Sandar," I struggled to hold back my own tears, "and I promise I will look after them. You have my word."

Nodding, grandfather smiled weakly and turned to Fern.

"You look like your mother, Fern, you look just like...Lira."

Fern smiled faintly at the mention of our mother.

"Now...I will...join...her..." he breathed slowly, his tail going limp. "Goodbye, my grandchildren...good...ye."

Grandfather's eyes slowly closed as he breathed out his last breathe. For a moment, there was silence.

"Grandfather!" Fern whispered, "Grandfather!"

Nothing.

Fern whimpered and laid down with grandfather, tears streaming down her snout. I joined her and together we openly wept. Even though the battle was still happening around us, we didn't pay attention to it. All that mattered now was grandfather.

I didn't even look at Josiah and Terias, who had arrived with blood coming from his neck and back. He, too, laid beside grandfather and us to grieve him.

I knew that we couldn't stay here. The battle was still going on.

Feeling rage build-up within me, I turned and looked for Darger. I spotted him among his pack, killing another pack member and throwing it's lifeless body aside on the ground. He uttered a loud cry, part laugh, part curse, part howl of victory.

The sight and sound of him was enough to make me want to kill him even more.

Darger had taken away our grandfather's life. Now it was blood for blood. His blood.

I stood up and made my way toward the black stripe alpha. I wanted to kill him. I wanted to tear him apart. To feel his blood flow over my fangs and tear his flesh in my jaws. He was going to pay for this.

 **Josiah's POV-**

What kind of raptor would do something like this. Darger was beyond evil.

He had no heart. He didn't deserve to be called a raptor. No, he didn't deserve to live.

Sandar was Tholestes, Terias, and Fern's only grandfather. And now he was dead. Seeing his grandchildren mourn him like this brought upon a fire that started to burn within me once again.

I wanted to kill him for what he had done. Yes, I'll say it. At that moment I wanted to kill him.

I took off my rifle and loaded it. It was time to stop being on the sidelines for once and start acting. At that moment I really didn't care what any National geographic son of a bitch on the mainland said to me about this. I really didn't care if I was interfering with the animals on this island. I didn't care what Hammond's people or Grant or even Eric were going to say about this. Screw them!

This island of Isla Sorna had tested me from the beginning ever since I first stepped onto it's beaches.

This place was peaceful and Darger and his black stripe pack had disrupted that peace.

Well, no more!

I finished loading my rifle and made my way toward Darger, my expression stone-faced and steady. This was no time to lose control of my emotions, but I found that difficult. The fire within me grew steadily hotter.

I felt someone beside me and slightly turned to see Tholestes. He, like me, was stone-faced and steady. We didn't make eye contact. We stayed focus on our goal. And that was Darger.

This was what I had trained for. No, this _was_ what me and Tholestes had trained for.

:

:


	25. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24: End of the tyrant**

:

 **Tholestes POV-**

I was the first to get to Darger. With my claws outstretched and jaws opened, I charged at him.

I hadn't anticipated that Darger was stronger then I am. He was after all an alpha male and was older then myself.

Darger took my tackle attack head-on and pushed me sideways to the ground. I got back up quickly and jumped at him again. He sidestepped me again. I missed.

"I will give you this much credit, little one," Darger seethed. "You are stronger than your grandfather. But that means nothing to me now that he's dead. If killing his grandson is meant to be, I am more than happy to be your executioner."

He lunged at me. I ducked and rolled away from him.

"You have been practicing, forest rat" He said. "No matter. You are still a weak little hatchling."

He came at me with his claws again. This time his movements were shorter, quicker. He slashed his remaining killing claw at me. I avoided the slashes but couldn't avoid his upper claws. A talon raked me across my snout. I tasted blood on my lips but I ignored it.

"Go back to your pathetic territory, Darger," I taunted. "You have no chance of controlling our home. We're too strong. The pack is too strong. You are over your head if you think you will win."

"Rahhhh!" Darger roared, and unleashed another attack. I dodged two of his slashes, spun, and cracked him on the side of his head with my tail, knocking him off balance.

Josiah stayed where he was nearby, his knife drawn and ready. I didn't want him to attack just yet. I had to weaken Darger just enough so that he wouldn't be able to fight back.

Darger shook his head from the blow and snarled, "Your bravery is impressive, but foolish, you are not unbeatable. You will meet the same fate as Sorsha… and your grandfather."

I attacked. He was ready for me. He countered by slashing at me with his claws. I moved quickly enough so that I wasn't sliced, but the talons grazed me in the back, stinging. I had committed the number one mistake we raptors always followed; Never make the first attack when facing an enemy. I wouldn't do it again.

I stood where I was and faced Darger. I could still feel blood dripping down my back. He was bleeding as well and was breathing pretty heavily as well. I had to smile at this. Being an older raptor alpha past his prime meant that you were slower.

I had the edge because I was younger and more quicker with my attacks.

"Come now, little sickle claw," Darger taunted, breathing hard. "Don't you want to kill me? This is your chance avenge your grandfather. Just the two of us. Alone."

"You forget, Darger, I said, "my pack never fights alone."

At that moment Phaganax lunged from behind Darger, his claws outstretched. Darger turned around and tried to block the attack he knew was coming, but it was too late. Phaganax's claws slashed him in the neck.

Darger screeched in pain. Phaganax landed beside me and I could see that he, like Darger, was bleeding as well. His wounds looked like they were deep. But it didn't bother him.

"Your joining the fight?" Darger asked, wincing from his wound. "Phaganax, how dare you..."

"How dare I?" Phaganax counted, his nick quills quivering. "You kill my mother, you try to take over my pack's home multiple times, you kill Sandar, and for what? For a piece of dirt?"

"That may be, Phaganax," Darger snarled. "but I want it!"

With an angry roar he charged at Phaganax, claws out and his jaws open wide. Phaganax crouched down and lunged at the airborne raptor.

Both of them collided, claws slashing, teeth biting and ripping. Phaganax's attacks were fast but Darger's were lethal and hard.

Both raptors were in their prime and were not giving up. But would Phaganax win... or Darger?

 **Josiah's POV-**

When Phaganax and Darger hit each other in midair I thought that the two of them were just a blare of scaly bodies. But when the fight got serious, when they both started circled each other, I knew that it was going to be a close one for our side. Phaganax was not a young raptor anymore. And Darger was the same. But the both of them were not giving in. This was a fight for control.

And whoever had the control...had the power.

Unfortunately, Darger was the one who had the power.

The raptor had pulled a fake slash and had butted Phaganax in the head with his own. The blow had stunned Phaganax, causing him to wobble backward. Darger then lunged and bit down upon his neck with his jaws. Phaganax tried to break free but Darger was too strong.

Then it it happened.

With one quick movement, Darger used both of his claws and twisted Phaganax's neck. There was a sickening _'crack'_ and Phaganax's body became still. Darger then flung Phaganax away into the grass, his body not moving.

I couldn't move. I felt the knife in my hand starting to slip from my fingers.

I think I was in shock. 13 seconds before, Phaganax looked like he was going to win. Now he lay dead on the ground. I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe. It all felt so impossible. But it wasn't. Phaganax was dead, and if I didn't snap out of it, I knew I would be next.

Darger let out victorious roar to the sky. A roar that sounded like it couldn't have come from a raptor at all.

He stepped over Phaganax's body and faced Tholestes and me. I saw the fury in his yellow eyes. We were next.

"Now..." He hissed. "Time to die…"

Tholestes quickly looked to the other raptors, hoping they'd come to give us aid, but they were preoccupied with the black stripes. We were on our own.

I shifted my feet, dispersing my weight over a wider area. I clenched My knife in my gloved hand and held it ready against the approaching raptor. Darger was bigger, stronger, and more brutal than me, but I hadn't come all this way to Isla Sorna to be killed by a big lizard.

Darger lunged forward and both me and Tholestes dove to the side, tucking into a roll as we went. I stood quickly and turned in time to see a claw-full of talons reaching for my throat. My foot went up, blocking the strike. I ducked under another swipe and struck out with the point of my knife, though I only succeeded in giving the evil raptor a good minor scratch on his side.

Darger screeched in anger, beginning another barrage of attacks. I dodged and ducked through the flurry of strikes, but eventually one caught me. Darger's claws gouged a groove across my recently healed shoulder, causing me to yell in pain and fall backwards onto grassy ground.

Darger then faced Tholestes and lunged forward. Tholestes took his attack full on. The two raptors rolled on the ground for several minutes before Tholestes was knocked away by Darger. He fell hard against a stone in the grass and didn't get up.

I got to my feet and let out a roar of rage. Tholestes was my friend. I wasn't going to lose him. Not like this. Not to Darger!

I charged Darger and thrust the point of my knife at him again. The weapon found its mark and the raptor snarled angrily at his new wound that opened in his shoulder.

"Give up, human!" He told me. "You don't stand a chance against me!"

I only settled into my fighting stance, waiting for Darger's next attack. Seeing this, Darger growled evilly and leapt at me. I brought my foot up again and kicked him in the snout, and successfully prevented him from ripping out my throat. The kick itself was strong enough so that Darger toppled backward. That was when I took that moment to finish him. I drove the triangular point of my knife forwards to meet the massive raptor that was still shaking it's head from the kick. The blade penetrated Darger's throat with enough force that it knocked him sideways onto the ground.

I felt the powerful raptor under me as I landed on him, keeping my hands on the handle of my knife that was still deep in his neck. Blood spurted and flowed from his neck.

Darger wasn't about to let me win. I felt his foot press against my stomach and kick at me. Lucky for me that it was the foot with the broken sickle claw on it. But the two smaller claws still dug in a little.

I could feel the knife starting to slid out from his neck. If that happened I wouldn't be able to finish him off. I would be dead.

Adrenalin rushed through me and I tightened my grip on the knife's handle. I was not going to lose. Not here and not now!

I jumped off of Darger and pulled out my rifle from my holster. Lifting the weapon with my finger on the trigger, I aimed at the raptor and fired.

'BANG'

The shot hit Darger square in his scaly face and knocked him backward onto his side. A cloud of greyish smoke rose from the raptor's head as he lay there, unmoving.

My hands were shaking. I felt sweat drop into my eyes as I felt the heat of the grassland all around me.

I had killed Darger. I had won. It was over. It was all over.

Or so I thought.

I turned my attention to Tholestes. He was lying where he had fallen, still not moving. I ran to his side.

"Tholestes!" I called to him. "Wake up! Come on." I shook him and gently slapped him on the snout. The young raptor opened his eyes slowly.

"Josiah?" He asked, groaning. "Watch out for Darger…"

I smiled. "It's okay, Tholestes; I took care of him. He's dead."

Tholestes shook his head. "No, watch out for Darger..."

I then turned my head around and my eyes went wide.

Darger was standing up and he was right behind me. His raptor snout and lower jaw were blown completely off, blood gushing down into the grass. His yellow eyes, now red and weeping blood, were full of rage.

He raised his sickle clawed foot and just when he was about slice me into red ribbons, somebody unexpectedly came to my rescue. It wasn't Kara. And it wasn't Terias or Fern either.

It was Pava.

The black stripe female raptor lunged forward from out of nowhere and slammed Darger in the side. The two raptors rolled on the ground for several moments before Pava was feebly kicked away by Darger.

"What are you doing?" Darger demanded, spitting blood.

He was surprised when Pava stepped forward and took a defensive position in front of Tholestes and me.

"Leave... Tholestes... alone," Pava said threateningly as two female raptors joined her side. I recognized them as Sandah and Dulia from before.

"Traitor hatchling, how dare you do this!" Darger snarled as got to his feet, more blood gushing from his neck. "You are my niece. I took care of you and your sisters. Why?"

Pava snorted and stepped forward. "Because you cannot keep doing this."

Darger coughed and blood shot out from his jaws. "Doing what? I provided our pack with food and with order."

"No, uncle," Pava said with no emotion. "You provided our pack, my mother's pack, with nothing but misery and starvation. We had order and you came and took that all away. You made us over-hunt and you forced us to live a miserable life in that human building. The pack hunted for pleasure rather then for food. We could have done better, but it wasn't enough. You abused your position as an alpha and you nearly ruined our pack's lives."

Darger hacked and coughed again as more blood flowed from his ruined jaws. His eyes looked desperate and wide. He turned to Sandah and Dulia for support. Both raptors stood where they were, with no expression on their reptilian faces. Darger's eyes started to roll up into his head. His body shuddered and he fell to his knees, one forearm holding him up. He was losing blood and was dying slowly.

"I didn't want this to happen, my dear niece," He wheezed, his gaze still on Pava. "Perhaps I have been too arrogant. I can admit that. There is a better way. We can still beat the forest pack and have a better territory. All of us. That was always our goal."

Pava then said in an icy undertone, "No, uncle. That had been your goal. It was what you wanted for yourself. It was never for our pack."

Darger turned to me and let a raspy sort of snarl that soon turned into a cough. Blood splattered on the grass in front of him, staining the ground.

"You..can't..win.." He rasped, his head lowering as more blood dribbled down his neck and jaws. "There are..other packs on this island that..will finish you for good. (cough) It is only a matter of time..before that..happens. And deep down you know it..I know you do."

Tholestes got up and approached Darger, his body movement not showing any signs of fear.

"You killed Phaganax and my grandfather, Darger," He hissed, his voice cold and angry. "and that is what I know now."

I got up as well and stood beside Tholestes. Darger looked up at me again as his head lay on the grassy ground which was now soaked with blood.

He coughed again and his eyes were beginning to close.

"Humans... Pava... are... our enemy..." He wheezed, his breath shallow as he turned to her. "Be thankful you..were never born in a..keeper's...cage...like I was."

Pava knelt down to Darger and gently touch his burnt and blown off snout with hers.

"I am no keeper's caged beast, uncle." She said with a gentle growl to the dying raptor. "I am free, like my mother. And now you are."

Darger wheezed again and then his wheeze turned shallow. Blood still flowed from his snout. He coughed softly and tried to keep his eye open, to try and gaze into Pava's eyes for one last time.

I couldn't help but feel sorry for the raptor. Even if he had tried to kill me and Tholestes, I didn't think a slow death from an enemy would be this hard to watch.

But I watched anyway.

Darger's eye finally closed and his breathing stopped for the last time.

The alpha of the black stripes was dead. His reign of terror on Isla Sorna had ended. The raptors of the forest pack were finally free of the tyrant that threatened their home and their lives. In doing so, they took back control of their territory and their home.

:

:


	26. Ending

**Chapter 25: The Heart Of A Raptor**

 **:**

 **Josiah's POV-**

We had won.

The territory of the raptors would now belong forever to Kara and her pack. Tholestes, Terias, and Fern joined me at the church so that I could fix their wounds. In fact, most of the pack was there getting themselves fixed up.

After the battle of the killing fields it didn't take long for the scavengers to arrive on the scene, looking for a free meal. The rest of the black stripes, without a leader or anyone to guide them, fled in different directions in the jungle like frightened rabbits. The damned cowards.

Pava and her sisters didn't join them. She stayed behind so that she could talk with Kara. At first, wary about her and her sisters, Kara wanted to chase away Pava. But Tholestes spoke up for her. She was allowed to leave with her life, but Kara told her not to come back to their territory again. Pava argued back that she and her sister wanted to join the forest pack and be apart of their clan.

Kara was outraged and so were some of the pack, including Fern and myself.

It took a while for things to calm down before they got worse. Kara told Pava that she and her sisters were not welcome to join the clan and to go away.

Respectively, Pava did what she was told and left with her sisters. Where were they going, I didn't know or cared. As long as it was far away from me. Tholestes seemed a little upset about it but didn't argue the matter any further with Kara. If I didn't know better, I'd say that my raptor friend had feelings for that female black stripe. Was that even allowed or possible? I didn't want to think on it. Too much had happened today and I just wanted to rest. I suddenly felt tired and my feet were beginning to give under me.

Tholestes offered me a ride on his back and I graciously took it.

How did I feel? Truthfully, I felt a little glad.

This island and the dinosaurs had me in grip of fear when I first arrived on it's beaches. It made me proud that I was able to survive here. Those on the mainland would've thought surviving here for nine weeks would be crazy and next to impossible. But Eric Kirby and his adventures on this island for eight weeks proved them wrong.

And I was going to do the same.

But I think I was mostly glad that I met Tholestes. He was fiercely loyal and willing to put his life on the line for for his pack. He was brave and caring and fierce as hell. But beyond that, there was something about Tholestes for which I couldn't even begin to think of him. When this adventure on Isla Sorna fades in my memory, and I don't know if it will, I will still be grateful to him for having pushed me to think outside of my own little world in Enid Oklahoma, and recognize my own strength.

When I first got here, I was afraid for my life. So many people on this island had died. Malcolm's group, the INGEN hunters, the people in the _San Diego incident, and those three men from the 2001 Sorna incident._

The gossips of this place had not only caused a lot of fear and concern, it also made people think that the dinosaurs here were truly theme-park monsters like Alan Grant said.

But Tholestes, Kara, Fern, and Terias weren't any of those things. They were just animals trying to survive here the island without being persecuted and hated by humanity.

Well, soon they would see my work and they will know differently.

When we arrived at the church I went to work mending my wounds first. Darger's claws had torn my green shirt to shreds and my healed wounded shoulder was now not so healed anymore. But the good news was that I had the stuff for it.

After I was done with my shoulder I helped Tholestes with his wounds. Using fresh water and mud from the streams, like Tholestes had tight me to do, I went to work.

Fern and Terias were there in the church as well, waiting for their turn.

But there is a very big elephant in the room that none of us has dared mention yet.

What happens to us now?

In truth, I had only had about two weeks left before I left the island to return to the mainland. That aside, what about the future of Tholestes and his pack?

"Tholestes, what's going to happen now that Darger and the black stripes are defeated?" I asked him while applying some mud on his back where he had been scratched. I adjusted the translator device in my ears so that I could hear him better.

Tholestes turned to face me for a moment, then stopped. He had an uncertain look on his face, as if trying to figure that out himself.

"I'm not sure what will happen now," Was his answer. "with Phaganax dead and Kara with no alpha male to rule beside her, our pack might become disorderly. Normally, an alpha female does lead the pack but Kara can't be in two places at once to handle pack problems or hunts. The betas usually handle that problem, hunts and all that, but after today's battle..." He trailed off a bit and closed his eyes.

Fern finished for him. "We're not sure if the betas are going to be well enough for those tasks,"

Terias added, "And if not, then there will be no order in the pack."

This was a dilemma. The pack needed an alpha male in the clan, but who'd be worthy of the position?

I got my answer a week later one day while I was finishing up my last bundle of laundry. This would be the last time I would ever do it, too. Another week to go and I would be going home after this.

It was Terias who brought me the news. He came to come get me for some sort raptor alpha ritual at the nest. Deciding not to miss this, I put my wet cloths on the vine line to hang-dry, grabbed my camera, and went with Terias to the nest.

When we got there, it looked like ritual had just begun. There was a circle of raptors, fourteen in all if you count Fern, Terias, and Tholestes, who gathered around Kara and Phaganax's nest. And beside Kara, standing tall and proud, was none other then...

"Tholestes?" I said, almost tripping over a root with my foot.

I couldn't believe it. He was going to be the next alpha of the pack?

Some of the raptors in the circle turned their heads around to look at me, a little annoyed that I had shouted out loud like that.

Embarrassed, I quietly sat down and started filming. _Terrific, Clover, you almost ruined the ritual!_

Tholestes gave me a slight nod as the ritual continued.

 **Tholestes POV-**

I faced alpha Kara and she did the same. I bowed my head to her and she touch my forehead with the tip of her snout. When she withdrew I stood straight up and turned to face my pack. They all stood as well and I in turn pointed my snout to the air and let out several loud barks, followed by a very loud screech. Kara did the same with her arms outstretched and then the whole pack did it. The jungle all around the nests filled with our noise.

The ritual was done. I was now the pack's new alpha male. The leader of the forest clan.

I felt pride swell within myself and I couldn't help but smile as I looked out over my future pack. With me as alpha the pack would no longer be without order. And it was all thanks to my grandfather who made this possible.

Fern joined me by my side and rubbed her head against my neck, purring happily. Terias joined my side as well, beaming.

Josiah sat where he was, filming with his camera-thing again.

I had to hand it to that human. He helped not only me and my sister and brother, but the whole pack as well.

When I first met him I thought that Josiah was just another human hunter from the mainland, hellbent on capturing us and stealing our eggs. But overtime, while he stayed at the worker village, I saw that there was another side to that human. And soon, after many weeks, we became friends. No, we became pack mates.

He wasn't like the other human keepers who had kept our kind in cages so long ago.

I was never really told about that sort of thing by my grandfather. Fern and Terias were only chicks when I was told a little about out our origins.

But the stories from my grandfather were so much alike there was bound to be a little truth in them.

After the ritual was done and the pack had settled in some of their own nests for rest, I went over to Josiah.

"Can you believe it, Josiah," I said as he stood up. "I'm an alpha of the pack now."

Josiah grinned. "It's great, Tholestes, and I think you'll do an excellent job of it."

I smiled. "Thank you, Josiah, that means a lot."

We spent the rest of the day talking about the future of the pack and how I was going to run it with alpha Kara.

We visited the battlefield to pay our respects to the fallen pack members who gave their lives to keep our home safe from the black stripes. In raptor custom, the bodies were never removed form where they had fallen. It was considered to be disrespectful.

My family and I paid our respects to our grandfather and Josiah and Kara went over to Phaganax's body to pay theirs.

The afternoon air was warm and the flies around the bodies were beginning to bother us, so we left.

Josiah went back to the village, said he needed to put away a few things before he had to leave for the mainland. It was going to be strange seeing him go. I'd gotten use to him being here.

I was going to miss him.

 **Josiah's POV-**

My last week was coming up soon and Sunday evening felt like it was taking it's sweet time ending. I spent the whole of Saturday packing my camera equipment and tapes but kept my clothes ready to wear during the remaining following next week. I also gave myself a good shave down by the stream one afternoon, deciding that if I was going back home, I was not going back looking like a uncivilized castaway.

When Monday came and the last week of my stay here on the island was coming to a close, I went to the communications building to give Enrique a call on the radio. After telling him that the final week of my stay on the island was here, he agreed to pick me up on Friday afternoon at the docks, but he had to do it quickly.

When we were done and when the radio and equipment were turned off for the last time, I left the communications building and went back to the church.

I was going to miss this place, save for the carnivorous dinosaurs and bugs and creepy nights, but mostly I was going to miss the raptors. Not the black stripes of course, but Tholestes and his pack.

I had learned so much from them. They had saved my life, and I saved them.

If Friday had come any sooner, I would've spent the rest of the remaining week to take more pictures of the dinosaurs. It was Thursday evening, the sun had started to set, and I had asked Tholestes and his brother and sister to come to the worker village for one more photo before I left.

I had setup the tripod and set the camera for four second for the photo.

I then had Tholestes and his siblings take their places in front of the church's steps together.

Fern was a little nervous because she didn't know what the camera would do. But Tholestes reassured her that it was fine and I knew what I was doing.

I pressed the red button to click for the picture and then I took my place with the others in front of the church. When the camera clicked, with Fern blinking from the sudden flash of light, I went over to check and see if the picture was clear and good. It was. The photograph showed all of us together, with me right beside Tholestes. I took a double look and noticed that my body looked entirely different. Gone was the muffin-top and sides that made me look heavy. Now my body felt lighter and less heavy-like then before from when I lived in Enid.

I had to smile at this. It felt good getting in shape here on the island. The insects didn't bother me anymore and the air here felt cleaner and more breathable.

The sun was setting and Tholestes said it was time for the pack to go on their evening hunt back the nest. Fern and Terias went on ahead while Tholestes hung back with me.

"So, I guess this is your last day here on our island, huh?" He said, right off the bat.

I shrugged a little while putting my camera away. "I guess," was I all I could say to him.

"Are you going to miss it here?"

I looked him and smiled. "I sure will, Tholestes. Even your sister and your brother. You guys have been good friends."

Tholestes bumped me against my uninjured shoulder with his snout and purred. "It's going to be pretty dull without you here."

I rubbed his neck and his quills along his head rattled softly. "Well, the feeling is mutual. To tell you the truth, Tholestes, I'm going to miss being here on the island. I'm gonna' miss the dinosaurs, the fresh air, and the jungle..."

My voice trailed off a little and I stopped scratching Tholestes. I hadn't thought of this place as anything but dangerous when I first got here. But this island had pushed me and tested me in ways that no other survivor would have thought possible on the mainland. And I was actually going to miss being apart of it.

This island was paradise for the dinosaurs. They knew how to survive here. This was their home. And it had become mine.

Friday came early the next morning and I decided that it was time to do some last minute things to pass the time.

The first thing I did was take a proper shower in the bathroom. The stream was fine and all, but the water was cold. Next I turned off the hydro and the electricity. There was no use in having the electric and hydro on if I wasn't going to be here. Next was the jeep. I knew that having it around had been good for transportation and everything, but sadly I couldn't leave it out in the open. So I parked it right back in the garage and closed the door, locking it. The next job was to make sure that every inch of the church was searched for any loose empty canned food. I could not afford to leave trash behind like a common foolish camper.

Then came the decision of bringing the journal and translator back with me. The journal I could bring, but the translator device was another matter. This thing was a piece of advance technology that the people here on Sorna had built. To bring it back with me would mean that a scientist or nosy government person would want to use it and copy the designs. Well, that wasn't happening. I was going to keep the translator hidden from the public.

When it became the afternoon, I headed down to where the dock was on the beach, the sun hot. When I got there, the stuff with me making me sweat a little, I saw that Tholestes and some of his pack were there. He was waiting at the edge of the dock, his feet semi-covered by the sand on the beach. With him were Terias and Fern.

I raised an eyebrow. "Tholestes? What are you doing here?"

"We came to see you off, Josiah," He said. "I hope you don't mind."

I shook my head. "It's fine by me,"

I gathered all my things together in a pile on the edge of the dock and stood for moment to look out over the vast ocean, my mind wondering.

Once I got back to the mainland and went home, my life would forever be changed. My nine weeks on this island were over. I had survived Isla Sorna and had documented the dinosaurs all together.

Tholestes came up beside me, his eyes facing the ocean as well. As I stood beside him on the dock that day, I felt a little taller then I had been before.

Within two hours, the sky growing darker, I could see a dot in the distance and I could make out the shape. It was a boat. Enrique's boat.

"He's almost here," I told Tholestes. "I guess it's time to say goodbye."

Tholestes nuzzled me against my cheek, letting out a soft moan. I turned to face him and smiled.

"I'm gonna miss you, Tholestes," I said, trying to keep my lower lip from quivering. "You and this island have made a real difference in my life-"

Tholestes placed his head on my shoulder and all sense and reason went flying out the window. I reached my harms out and hugged him around his neck. We embraced for a long minute. Tholestes purred deeply and I hugged him even more. Terias and Fern soon joined us, rubbing their heads against my thigh and legs. I smiled down at the both of them.

After another minute of hugging, I backed away from the raptors slowly, meeting each of their eyes for a long moment. Dinosaurs were different then humans, but this goodbye was harder then anything I could have imagined. Dinosaurs like raptors could show emotion. They weren't cold blooded theme-park monsters. I swore to myself that if Alan Grant even thought of disrespecting the dinosaurs here on the island by calling them theme-park monsters, I was going to deck him in the face.

Kara came up to me and nuzzled my face as well, her eyes shining. "I am also going to miss you, young one," She said with a purr. "You may be a human, but you have the heart of a raptor."

She then joined in the embrace, placing her own head on my other shoulder. When she did this, along with the others, I couldn't take it any longer. I let my tears flow from my eyes as the sun shone it's radiance upon all of us.

By the time Enrique arrived at the dock and had all my things in his boat, Tholestes and the others had already left and had gone back into the jungle.

I got into the boat and settle myself down into one of the seats near the stern, letting out a breath as I felt tired all of a sudden. I didn't even hear the roar of the engine of the boat as Enrique turned us in the direction of the mainland. We didn't even speak, the two of us. We were in a hurry to get back before any patrol boats or planes spotted us near the island.

As the sun started to set and the wind in my face felt cooler, I turned around to look at Isla Sorna for the last time.

It was indeed a sight. That island was truly a place of wonder, excitement, and discovery. Those dinosaurs may need our absence to survive, and no help, but the footage I had with me would prove to the world that the island of Isla Sorna was truly a lost world. A world were they ruled the earth. And if Tholestes and his pack made it through together as one, then they would be fine.

I had grown stronger and wiser over my stay on the island, too. I had learned that the island of Isla Sorna was more then one of INGEN's research facilitates or a factory floor. It was what the dinosaurs called home-no matter what the people on the mainland thought. The animals had found existence there. They had trusted in nature and nature in turn had given them new life.

John Hammond was right all along; Life had found a way.

:

 **Epilogue**

Days went by before I could get back home. Enrique was nice enough to set me up in a hotel in San Jose. Along the way I met up with Rita and the others. Rita was happy that I was alright and I, after going somewhere private to talk, told the group everything on what had happened on the island since they had left. They couldn't believe it at first, that I was part of some raptor war. I gave them every detail about my experience and swore that I could see that the guys were truly astonished by the events that had taken place.

I even told them about Greg and his assistant, who's bodies were torn apart by the Troodons. Rita, Hector, and Eddie were both horrified and a little bit grossed-out by that.

In the hotel, shades drawn for some privacy, I showed the gang the video footage of the dinosaurs. True, it wasn't first grade National Geographic stuff, but it was workable.

Then came the day when it was time to go home. All of us boarded a plan together bound for the states the next morning.

As we took of off the ground and into the sky, I turned my head to my window and looked out. The clouds rolled by softly as the plane soared through the air. Somewhere down there beyond the ocean, surrounded by fog, was Isla Sorna. Site B.

As my thought drifted back to the island, I was certain of only one thing and one thing only:

Now and forever, like Eric Kirby before me, I was a survivor.

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* * *

 **Finally! I've re-uploaded the story!**

 **Hope you guys are damn happy because my wrists are sore from typing!**


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